Of Wings and Roses
by songbird4freewords
Summary: It all started with the flashbacks, mini slidshows hinting at a previous life or a long ago existence. all she knew was that he would protect her until she made sense of her past. a SessRin story. rr.
1. Default Chapter

Chapter 1:

It had been many years since he had received the Tenseiga. His sword Tokijin was in for repairs at a sword smith's lodge a good distance away, just to keep it in the best shape, there was nothing wrong with it. He had been returning to retrieve Tokijin when he caught a smell that was, unfortunately very familiar.

'Inu Yasha.'

He changed his direction, since he had acquired the sword Tokijin he had no real need for the Tetsusaiga. Trying to take it from the undeserving hanyou had become something of a habit however, and one he delighted in.

It amused him, when few things did. He reached the small opening where Inu Yasha and his wench (what was her name Ka-something) stood squaring off over some petty argument. Inu Yasha seemed to be loosing. Sesshoumaru mentally smirked. His emotions held firmly in check. His face revealing nothing of his inner excitement and sardonic amusement. Inu Yasha couldn't seem to win a confrontation either with his wench or with him, Sesshoumaru.

The stupid hanyou hadn't even smelled him yet. Sesshoumaru wasn't masking his scent or presence, in fact he was spreading his power the best he could. Sesshoumaru smiled, his expression never changing from his cold calculating glare. It would have to be the old fashion way. He attacked . . .

"Rin . . . Rin when I catch you you'll beg mercy from punishment!" A loud male voice yelled. There was a pause, and the voice turned pleading. "Come on Rin . . . I meant nothing by it . . . It's natural between men and women. I won't try it again, I promise it to you . . . you've got my word . . . Rin? I know you're around here somewhere, you can't hide forever." The voice was impatient now. "Don't you trust me Rin." It was pleading again. 

Rin shuddered and shrank back between the two barrels where she hid. He promised it wouldn't happen again, but it always happened. His word was worth nothing. He had gone further than usually this time, taking advantage of the fact that she was mute. Knowing she couldn't scream or call out for help. Not that anyone would come. She was an orphan and not worth angering the lord's son.

She glanced behind her there was a small hole in the back, perhaps she would be able to slip out, she was a tiny delicate woman. She slowly scooted back toward the light shinning through the dark storage room, knowing that was her exit.

"Rin?" She stifled a gasp at how close the voice was. She would not give away her position, she was only a scoot away from her escape. Her small chin hardened with determination. She turned when she reached the hole. Rin squeezed the front half of her body through as quietly as she could. She could FEEL him getting closer, and she was having a problem getting her hips through the hole. When he was right upon her, she finally slipped all the way through. She heaved a sigh took in a deep breath, and looked around. The only people around to see her; were the villages who knew what was happening and felt sorry for her so therefore would pretend not to see her, and travelers who could care less about the property of a lord they didn't live under. She quickly ran into the forest. 

'Damn Inu Yasha and damn that wench of his. Especially his wench. If it hadn't been for her, I, Sesshoumaru would have been victorious.'

Flashback 

"Inu Yasha!" Kagome yelled as Sesshoumaru landed behind him and prepared to charge. Inu Yasha who had just become aware of Sesshoumaru's scent swung around Tetsusaiga coming out of it's sheath at the same time.

"Sesshoumaru, what the hell do you want!"

"Inu Yasha, why do you ask such senseless questions? Is it because you yourself are senseless?" Sesshoumaru asked in his usual smooth monotone voice.

"That's it. I'm gonna end this once and for all." Inu Yasha raged charging Sesshoumaru as Sesshoumaru knew he would. 'Stupid hanyou do you ever change your technique.' Sesshoumaru thought as he stepped smoothly to the side. He quickly lifted his clawed hand and the predictable half-breed ran right into it. Sesshoumaru dug his claws in, piercing the fire rat Kimono. Disgusted he lifted the hanyou and threw him. That was too easy, what was the point of indulging in this sport if the hanyou made stupid moves like that. Sesshoumaru sighed, he would give his younger brother one more try. 

"Inu Yasha, stop attacking in anger, you'll never win that way!" Kagome yelled.

'Smart wench.' Sesshoumaru thought, not sparing her a glance. Sesshoumaru got tired of waiting, he decided to take the offensive. He spared with his brother using just his whip and his fist. He soon had Inu Yasha pined to the ground, his knee braced on his chest and his poison claws inches from his throat. 

"Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru jumped back to dodge a purifying arrow. The miko power that radiated off the arrow pushed him back a couple of steps, but he was uninjured. He turned to glare at the girl holding the quivering bow. He looked at her face and realized . . .

'That was an arrow meant for distraction, not killing. She was distracting me from the hanyou.' He swung around and saw his brother about to perform the Kaze no Kizu.

'Damn' he quickly dodged but was swept up in it's power. Tenseiga and quick reflexes were the only things that kept him alive and standing when the power faded.

"Inu Yasha you bore me. Another time, when you've decided not to hide behind a woman. A human at that." It took all of his strength not to collapse. He kept his bleeding in check but he wouldn't be able to last long. He had to get out of there before they saw how injured he really was. He took to the sky. 

Sesshoumaru couldn't get back up in the sky. He was bleeding profusely now, his wounds were great and his legs could barely move. He walked on until his body couldn't take it anymore and then he collapsed against a nearby tree. He hoped no enemy came by, he wasn't even a match for a human in this condition.

End Flashback

Rin had been running for a while. Actually it was more like jogging, her interest in her beautiful surroundings overriding her desperation to get as far away from the village as she possibly could. 

When she was a safe distance away she paused to stare at a blue flower, wondering if she should pick it. Atsuko a spiteful girl who coveted the lord and his son's attention, had told her that picking flowers killed them, that she was a murderer. A murderer of flowers.

Rin refused to believe Atsuko. Rin had never seen a flower she had picked die, of course she had always given the flower away after she picked it.

Rin bent over and plucked the blue flower. 'Who will I give this to?' she thought, a smile spreading over her face. Her smile died, a look of great pain and loneliness swept over her features. She had no one to give flowers to now. No one that deserved them. She tucked the beautiful flower into the small ponytail on the side of her head. No sense wasting it.

As she started to move on she heard a noise. It was more like a vibration that shook her very soul even though it was barely audible. 'There is something special about that sound. I can't help but feel it should be very important to me.' She slowly began to walk in the direction of the sound. Being careful not to make a sound. The creature (whatever it may be) sounded frustrated enough without her adding to it's discomfort By spooking it.

She hid behind a tree and casually peeked around it. She bit back a gasp. There sitting under a tree was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

'He's . . . he's . . . so beautiful, no beautiful doesn't do him justice, it's an insult to his looks.' She thought awe shinning in her dark eyes. Unconsciously she moved closer to the tree. A twig snapped under her foot.

"Hisssh, Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"

Quick as lightening the man who obviously was not a man turned, his breath coming out in a startled hiss followed by a threatening growl. His eyes bright red. Rin finally noticed things that she had been blinded to because of her early wonderment, things that separated him from humans. The pointed ears the markings on his cheekbones, eyelids, forehead, and wrists. As well as (the more obvious) long platinum hair and red eyes. She had thought that the fur on his shoulder was just decoration, now she wasn't so sure.

'Why isn't he getting up? I've heard horrible things about youkai, and I'm sure he is a youkai, so why doesn't he get up and kill me?' Rin wasn't afraid of death, some days she welcomed it. When she had those days she would sneak off to pick flowers. Soon she would calm and her faith in life would be restored. If she were caught she would be beaten, it didn't matter to Rin, those little moments of peace and joy were worth a million beatings.

Rin watched the youkai as he continued to glare at her. His eyes had slowly returned back to normal, as if deciding that she wasn't a threat, but he was still growling.

'He's hurt,' she thought noticing the blood on his garments, 'he needs help.'

In the next instant Rin lost her mind. She didn't know what possessed her to take the chance of getting even closer to the youkai. Whatever it was she couldn't stop it. She couldn't stop herself from inching closer and closer to him. With each of her hesitant steps his eyes became more and more red.

'How do I show him I mean him no harm?' she thought about it and an idea came to her. She reached up and drew the blue flower out of her hair. When she was close enough, she offered it to him.

His face remained impassive, but Rin got the impression that the youkai was confused as to what he was supposed to do with the flower. 

Rin was close to him now but she needed to get closer to check his wounds. She didn't think he would be too happy with that, so she did the only thing she could think of. She kneeled down so as not to be standing over him and half scooted, half crawled in a position of submission and respect. This was done for his benefit because for some unknown reason she wasn't afraid. She felt no fear around this youkai. He had relaxed when she had gotten on her knees, now he was stiff again. 

"Begone human!"

Rin winced. 'Had he just . . . Barked!' He had literally barked the words right into Rin's ear. Rin glanced at his face. It was still indifferent, there was no indication that he had even spoken. Rin reached out with the flower in her hand. Her peace offering was placed gently on his lap. For an instant he looked as though he had been supremely insulted, but the expression was gone so quickly that Rin thought that she had to have imagined it.

Rin sat back on her heels and looked at him, waiting to see if he would except her treaty. When all he did was turn his head away from her in disgust, Rin grinned and leapt to her feet. Startling the youkai who became immediately tense ready to leap up injuries and all if this human tried something. But her smile just got bigger and then she turned and ran back into the forest. 

Sesshoumaru was wondering why he was feeling so disappointed. 'You wanted the girl gone, baka!' He had in fact wanted the bothersome human to leave. It was just so anti-climatic. He glanced down at the flower on his lap. It's bright fragility looked out of place next to his harsh white kimono and cold armor. He lifted his hand and ran one of his claws down one of the petals. He was careful not to damage the flower. 'What does this flower mean? And what was she so pleased about when she left?' Sesshoumaru puzzled. He thought about that moment, when he turned away from the human disgust. 'Does she enjoy being insulted? you never knew with humans, they are strange creatures.' Sesshoumaru was confused and while part of him was infuriated by his confusion the other part found it amusing and thrilling to wonder.

There was no use thinking about such trivial things, Sesshoumaru decided. She was gone now and if she had any sense she wouldn't be back. He closed his eyes stretching his other senses to stay alert.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I forgot about this in the first chapter. I'm only gonna say this once, I don't own anything in Inuyasha, plot, characters, etc.   
  
Also, I should have made this more clear. The first two chaps are just setting the ground work. How they meet, etc. In the third chap the plot thickens. There will be hints that the story is connected to Escaflowne but blatant Inu Yasha/ Escaflowne scenes won't show up for a while.  
  
Chapter two:  
  
That night:  
  
Rin was busy gathering herbs and fire wood. The first place she went to after she left the youkai was a small hut right outside of the village. There she had used some helpful sign language to ask for a mixing bowl that could withstand fire. She placed all the herbs she needed within the bowl and held the bowl on top of the firewood she was carrying. She did all this in a big hurry, not wishing to leave the youkai alone in case something attacked him or in case he vanished, thinking his hiding place had been compromised. Her thoughts were constantly going back to their encounter. She remembered the way he had stared at the flower as if the mere prescience of it on his lap had unmanned him. Or worse turned him into a 'weak' human. Rin giggled silently. Her shoulders shaking with mirth. She gradually grew serious 'he acts as if no one has ever given him a flower before, he needs flowers. If I stay with him long enough I'll teach him the true power of a flower is that it heals the soul.' She bent over and caressed a blossom close to her, nearly dropping the precious items in her arms.   
  
Rin moved on her thoughts now on how he had barked at her. 'Does that mean he is a dog youkai, hmm . . . it certainly is possible.'   
  
She was close to the clearing now. When she reached the youkai he appeared to be asleep. She checked, she watched him intently for a while to make sure he was breathing. When she assured herself that he was still alive she let go of the breath she had been holding. Rin then set about clearing a space for a fire. Once she had a fire going she ground the herbs in the bowl, placing the bowl slightly over the fire with a little trick she had learned from Kiyomi; the miko that watched over the village. Kiyomi had also taught her how to read and was in the process of teaching her how to write.   
  
Rin added some water from the pouch she kept strapped to her waist, she let the herbs simmer. She sat down Indian style, lost in her own thoughts, every once in a while moving the bowl with a stick to stir it's contents.   
  
Sesshoumaru wasn't asleep. He had been awake the entire time the girl was gone, and right now he was watching her every move. He hadn't been alarmed when she came walking quietly into his resting place, because he had already memorized her scent. A human's scent was what most youkais called an acquired smell. Not something you would want to smell often, but more annoying than repulsive. Sesshoumaru had never acquired a smell for the human odor and prefered to avoid them altogether. This girl's scent however, could be called nothing short of soothing. It was like . . . a drug, inhaling her smell was like the ultimate high for a dog youkai like himself. He wouldn't be drawn in. This close her scent calmed, and he didn't need to be calm, he needed to be alert, aware of everything around him especially this slip of a girl who sat before the fire she made as if unaware of the danger she might be in. The girl was unusual and danger oftimes followed the unusual.   
  
As he watched the girl turned to look at him. Seeing that he was awake the girl smiled hesitantly, her small smile soon spread into a full fledged grin. Sesshoumaru caught his breath. The girl had jet black hair falling to her waist in thick luxurious waves, one side pulled into a small side ponytail. Giving her a child-like innocent look. Her eyes were soft brown nearly black, glowing as if she knew the very secrets of the earth. 'She has intelligence and character, I can see it in her eyes.' Her features were delicate making her look fragile belying both her inner and outer strength. Her face is that of many human wenches. And yet . . . why do I find her appearance unique and beautiful. 'When she smiles . . . when she smiles she lights up, her aura changes, and her attractiveness grows in leaps and bonds. Her smiles are as addictive as her scent. What is wrong with me, what am I thinking. She is a human and therefore not worth my time.' He continued to study her though trying to be more clinical this time. 'Her body seems fit. Her form is pleasing, long legs, curvaceous hips (good for having pups), small waist, slender slightly muscular arms, delicate shoulders, perfect sized breast; not too big, not too small, just a little over a handful.' He looked at his hand, 'What the hell is the matter with me!' he shook himself out of contemplating the size of the wenches breasts.   
  
He didn't have time to expand on those thoughts, however, because the girl was coming toward him. She was still smiling and her scent was overwhelming him this close.   
  
"What do you want wench?!" His words came out sharper than he had intended, trying to hide his discomfort. She hesitated then came two steps closer. She pulled out some folded cloth in front of him containing edible plants and vegetables, no meat anywhere. She laid it on the ground and pushed it towards him. Sesshoumaru started growling, Rin looked up puzzled, but Sesshoumaru wasn't concerned with her. He was looking at the forest. Some one was coming.   
  
"Rin?!"  
  
"Rin!"   
  
"Rin, where are you?!"   
  
Rin jumped up and ran to the fire lifting up the bottom of the short skirt kimono (which normally rested on the top of her calves. It was several sizes too small and ratted.) as much as modesty would permit to grasp the bowl resting over the fire, burning her hands a little as she rushed back over to him. She took out a clean cloth given to her by the same people who owned the hut outside of the village and dipped it into the bowl. She indicated with her hands how he was supposed to apply it to his wounds.  
  
"Rin!"   
  
"Rin!"   
  
Rin jumped the calls were getting closer and more persistent.   
  
She rushed up near him, her fear of them finding her here and thus finding him and probably trying to kill him in his weaken state causing her movements to be agitated. She brought the medicine within the his reach, gave him a weak smile and disappeared into the forest heading towards the voices. She couldn't allow them to keep looking for her.   
  
Sesshoumaru stared at the items before him uncertain as to why this girl would help a youkai she didn't know. He wouldn't touch the food or the medicine, of course. He needed help from no human. And he was glad he had finally seen the last of her. Still . . .   
  
Rin was out of breath by the time she reached the search party. It consisted of servants who worked in the castle some who liked her some, who didn't. There were also some of the villagers It was lead by Kiyomi the miko for the village and Rin's close friend.   
  
"Why are we yelling for a mute girl she obviously can't yell back." An irritated voice complained. Rin recognized it as one of the castle guards, Basho. He was usually drunk and liked to plague the female servants at the castle. He was not a nice man and he was a loyal friend and servant to both the lord and his son.   
  
"Because if she hears us she maybe able to show us where she is in some way or another, she's very resourceful. It's obvious that you don't want to be here, and we can do without the non-existent help you've given us, so why don't go back to the castle." Kiyomi turned on him.   
  
Basho flushed at being reprimanded like a child. He turned and angrily stomped off.   
  
Rin stepped out from behind the trees.   
  
"Rin! Where have you been?" The miko hugged her. "Everyone, it's getting late. Thank you for coming and please have a good night."   
  
She held Rin in a protective embrace as she addressed the villagers. Slowly they dispersed.   
  
"What happened?" Kiyomi asked in a concerned voice. "Did he try to attack you again?" Kiyomi sighed as Rin nodded. "I thought it was the best thing in the world when his father became impotent, all the times you had to run away from him to prevent him from taking you. Only to be beaten when you were brought back. Now his son wishes to have you, well we better get you away from the village before he succeeds. Try to hold out for a couple more days ok? By then you'll have everything you need and the messengers I'll send out will have news as to which miko will take you in as an apprentice. "   
  
Rin nodded looking at her dearest friend. Kiyomi was a pretty and somewhat plump woman with Rin's coloring, The only difference being that her eyes were a lighter brown. Kiyomi was in her late twenties and was more like an older sister to Rin than a mentor. Kiyomi had been there for her when no one else was and she would never know how much that meant to Rin. Rin plucked a pink flower out of her hair, one that she had picked in her mad dash through the forest. She held it up, her eyes focused on Kiyomi trying to convey the meaning of this gift. 'I have nothing, I own nothing, this flower is the only precious thing in my life. Please take it Kiyomi as a symbol of my undying friendship and appreciation.' Rin had tears in her eyes, so did Kiyomi.   
  
"Thank you Rin."  
  
'No thank you Kiyomi, for everything.'   
  
***********************************  
  
Rin woke up early to do her chores. Dawn was a few hours away and Rin would work those hour as hard as she had ever worked to finish her duties, which would leave her free to go see her youkai.   
  
This was the third day since she had found him lying near dead under a tree. She had returned the second day to see that he hadn't touched anything she had left him. On the second day she had left him with fresh food, water, and some more medicine. She wasn't concerned that he hadn't eaten, he probably needed meat. All she could get at the moment was rice and vegetables which had been her evening meal. But today . . . today she would steal some meat from the kitchen.   
  
She had it all planned out. But first she needed to see to her chores.   
  
**********************************  
  
Sesshoumaru wondered where the girl was. It wasn't interest that made him wonder just idle curiosity. She probably thought he was well enough to see to himself and didn't need her ministrations anymore. Which he had never needed in the first place.   
  
Sesshoumaru mentally kicked himself back in line, he had more important matters to think about like paying Inu Yasha and his wench back for this outrage. He also wondered how long it would take Jaken to find him this time, the toad youkai was an idiot. He didn't know why he kept him in his employ.   
  
Sesshoumaru mentally sighed. Jaken was loyal that was why. Annoying yes, stupid yes, smelly yes, but loyal.   
  
'The human girl isn't annoying or stupid. Smelly? ::mental grunt:: I wish, I wonder if she is loyal.' Sesshoumaru growled aloud the thought catching him by surprised, being injured was no excuse for losing control over his thoughts, that control was what separated him from weaker youkais, hanyous, and humans. It was what made him the fearsome Sesshoumaru of the western lands. It wasn't like him to think about something he had deliberately put out of his mind.   
  
'I will think of her no more!' he shouted to himself. He heard a rustle. Someone was approaching, he sniffed the air and relaxed. She was here.   
  
Rin didn't want her youkai to see her like this, but she was determined to give him the meal she had fought so hard for.  
  
~ Flashback ~  
  
Rin had finished her chores and snuck into the kitchen. Beef had been cooked for lunch and she would take some of it. The smells in the kitchen made her mouth water and her stomach gave a growl as fierce as that of her youkai. It had reminded her that she hadn't had anything to eat yet. It didn't matter usually, all she got was rice. If she was lucky she would get mushrooms or vegetables with her rice, and if she was really lucky a piece or two of chicken chunks left over from a meal.   
  
She wouldn't have been caught if she hadn't lingered to put some sauce on his meat. One second she was reaching for the sauce covered beef and the next she was jerked around by Basho.   
  
"I know you're not taking that to my lord, because you are determined to tease him running away from him like the coward you are, when you would like nothing better but for him to take you. So that must mean you're here to steal something right?"   
  
Rin looked at him with frightened eyes.   
  
"There's no miko here to save you this time huh? Answer me bitch!" He slapped her hard across both cheeks.   
  
"I forgot you can't can you? you couldn't scream no matter what I did to you. I like that, you should be punished for what you were about to do." He punctuated almost every word with a blow, Rin was on the floor trying to cover he face. When he paused she sat up quickly and bit into his leg, drawing blood. She usually didn't fight back seeing as it was pointless and just prolonged the beating, but for some reason this thrashing enraged her as no other had.   
  
"Bitch!" He screeched in pain hitting her on the back of the head. She pushed back lying flat on her back disoriented. When he came for her again she put all of her strength in a kick aimed at his loins. When he bent over in agony, Rin staggered to her feet and shook her head trying to clear it. She grabbed the meat and walked out of the kitchen slowly, she was too dazed to run. No one in the kitchen stopped her, a young girl in the corner smirked, she had a weapon against little Rin.   
  
Rin made it to a pond in the forest without collapsing. There she washed her face with the cool water. Her lip split, puffed and bleeding. Her left eye was swelling, she had a cut on her right cheek and her face was swollen into one big bruise. She opened her mouth, she didn't seem to be missing any teeth. She got some fresh water for her youkai while looking at her reflection . . . she couldn't go on like this.   
  
~ End Flashback ~  
  
There was nothing but silence as she came up to the clearance, she went directly to the magnificent youkai's side.   
  
She presented the food to him a yellow flower on the tray next to the meat. Her gift to him for keeping her from being so lonely and making her feel safe. She had never felt safe, even in the old days with her family she had a feeling that she didn't belong and that she was hiding from something. Security was such a precious feeling she wanted it to last forever. 'He must be very powerful to make me feel this way when he's nearly defenseless.'  
  
Sesshoumaru turned away from the food and water.   
  
Rin's heart fell, cracking. She swallowed the lump in her throat her eyes burned with hurt and anger. Why wouldn't he take the food, it was fresh meat. It was the worse rejection Rin had ever experienced in her lifetime. She unconsciously made an injured sound pushing the food closer to him with determination. He looked at her and stared a long time.   
  
"What happened to your face?" He questioned in his sexy monotone voice.   
  
'He . . . he cares . . .' She resisted the urge to burst into tears, he deserved a smile. The smile she gave him came from her soul, transforming her bruised and battered face and radiating her inner beauty.  
  
Sesshoumaru felt rage coarse through his body when he first saw her face. What fool would mar such beauty. He could feel the beast in him stir.   
  
"What happened to your face?" He hadn't meant to voice the question.  
  
He was glad he had however, never had he seen such a beautiful smile. 'Why would she smile. I don't care.'   
  
"You don't have to tell me." 'When did I lose control of my tongue?'   
  
He watched as the young woman did something unusual. She laid down on the ground in front of him. Lying down completely on the grass and dirt, she promptly fell asleep.   
  
He couldn't figure out if she was fearless or just plain stupid. Did she think she was safe with him, she was mistaken if so. He inhaled her scent and felt the now familiar tranquillity flow over his body and mind. He leaned back, stretched his sense even further and watched her sleep, she looked exhausted as if she hadn't slept in a year. He would leave this place tonight, his wounds were fully healed, and though he was still a little weak, he was strong enough to travel. 'Yes I will leave this forest and this girl,(what had the villagers called her?) . . . Rin and her intoxicating scent behind.' The girl named Rin shivered. Absent-mindedly, still lost in his thoughts Sesshoumaru used his tail to bring her close enough for him to wrap his tail around her for warmth and comfort. When he noticed he merely shrugged it off, it was the least he could do. He smiled as one of Rin's small hands fisted in the fur of his tail.   
  
********************************  
  
Rin skipped toward the castle, she had woken up to the warmth of her youkai's tail. This day was wonderful, she fingered her bruised eye and grinned. The beef had been gone when she had awakened. Rin laughed 'ow it hurts when I laugh.' She laughed more giddy with happiness. She wouldn't think about how long this would last, she would just enjoy it and she would never ever forget him.   
  
"Rin!! where have you been?!" Rin turned to see the lord's son walking towards her, Basho behind him.   
  
"I haven't seen you for two days. Have you been avoiding me or have you been sneaking off to meet someone behind my back? I heard you stole some food from the kitchen."   
  
Rin looked sharply at Basho. Basho smirked back at her, he hadn't told the lord or his son, not wanting to admit that he had been bested by a female, but that didn't stop him from enjoying this.   
  
"It's funny because, you see, we looked in your quarters and we found no tray or any other kinds of remains, and you don't have it now." His voice had a deceptive quietness about it. "You didn't steal that food for yourself did you? No, you gave it to someone, who is he? Who have you been sneaking off to see? WHO IS IT?! YOU LITTLE SLUT!" He lunged at her, his eyes were wild.   
  
"Who?!" They crashed to the ground Basho leaping forward to help his lord hold the girl.   
  
Rin was desperate. She kicked him in the face when he grabbed her ankle, he let her go. She gave a silent whimper got up and ran. Not to the village she would find no protection there. She ran to the only person she had ever felt safe with.   
  
All she could think was: 'If I can reach him I'll be safe, If I reach him I'll be safe.' It repeated in her head like a broken record.   
  
Suddenly she was tackled from behind. Her attacker flipped her over he straddled her his face red, blood gushing from his nose where she had kicked him. Spittle flew from his mouth, his chest was heaving in and out with each breath he took, his expression was frightening.   
  
"Who is he?" He whispered hoarsely almost pleading, placing his hands around her throat and squeezing.   
  
Rin couldn't breathe. She clawed at his hands, she struck his face nothing fazed him. Her lips were turning blue, her face - puffy from the previous beating - turned several shades of purple. Her legs kicked tears were falling from her eyes a small trail of blood fallings out of the corner of her mouth. Her struggles slowly stopped, she laid there a breath away from her last. I'll never see him again, was her last thought as she left the world at the hands of one of the men who caused all her misery. Her right hand fell away from her body and lay opened on the ground crushed flower petals falling out.   
  
******************************  
  
Sesshoumaru felt a chill as he walked away from the forest, the village and Rin. He glanced back but when he felt nothing else he kept walking. He found Jaken bumbling about some nonsense. His servant had taken too long to find him, but he was in a generous mood so Jaken's punishment was just a small rock to the back of his head.   
  
"Lord Sesshoumaru!!" Jaken exclaimed awe and worship in his voice.   
  
"Jaken . . ." He had intended to say more but a gust of wind brought a familiar scent to him, except now it was overshadowed with blood and death.   
  
Rin was . . . dead?  
  
So what do you think so far? Review already! ^_^ 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:  
  
"My love, we . . . there's . . ." The man could not be seen, his footsteps barely audible as he walked into the dark room.   
  
"It's ok, I know what you're trying to tell me." The woman was sitting in a rocking chair, gently rocking back and forth a precious bundle held gently in her arms.   
  
"That insight of yours! It wasn't rational for me to try to keep this from you, but I thought it best at the time."   
  
The woman just gave him an understanding look.   
  
"We're not going to die A'Marie, we can't now that everything has finally become right." The man walked over to the woman, kneeling before her he looked at the tiny baby girl in her arms. He ran his hand over her small head. Bending to kiss her plump cheeks, his nose nuzzled against hers, and his hand stroked her tiny fist, she opened her hand and grabbed his finger. He chuckled at the firm grip. It was a sad sound, tears hovering at the back of his eyes as he looked up from the baby girl to the woman. He grabbed her hand as well. These two were, they were his life, he wished he had found that out sooner, then they would have had more time together. No! he couldn't think like that. He gently pulled her out of the chair to her knees baby and all. She looked at him, although she looked serene as she always did he could see the fear, sadness, and trust in her eyes. Holding her gaze he hugged her and the baby close wrapping his white feathered wings around them both.   
  
"Alaric! A'Marie! We must leave! There are not enough life boats! And they're coming back! We have to leave, we have to go!" The words were urgent, panicked and torn from the little man standing at the door, his wings tucked behind his back in a show of cowardice.   
  
Alaric got up from his kneeled position, bringing A'Marie up as well. He rushed over to the cowering man, grabbing him by the shoulders.   
  
"What do you mean they are coming back? What do you mean?!" Even as he asked the question he realized the obvious.   
  
He swung around to A'Marie she was already gathering their necessary supplies.   
  
He grabbed the bag from her, took her hand and rushed out into the chaos. The people of Atlantis had lost all sense. They rushed around like chickens without their heads. It was a sad day, one that Alaric had wished never to see. Fires, destruction, and floods were everywhere. Atlantis was sinking, the rebels: evil residents of Atlantis who were disgusted by it's supposed weaknesses were destroying the one place they claimed to love. Idiots.   
  
Alaric searched frantically for an empty life boat or raft, it was essential to his family's survival. Though they had wings and were strong flyers, they could not fly all the way to other lands without becoming fatally tired. He saw an empty boat and headed for it, they only needed one seat, A'Marie could sit on his lap the baby on her's. He tightened his hand around her hand and began to push his way through the crowd. At some point he lost her hand, when he turned she was being pushed back by a desperate man. He wrenched the man away from her grabbed her hand again and looked ahead. The crowd was too thick he glanced at the sky thinking they could fly to the boat if need be. He realized that the rebels had arrived, the atlantians in the sky were falling to the ground arrows protruding out all areas of their bodies.   
  
The rebels began to aim at those on the ground and in the boats. Alaric looked for some kind of shelter, water now coming to his ankles and nearly to A'Marie's calves.   
  
They had to get out of here! Now! He saw some shelter of debris by the boats. He looked down at A'Marie, she nodded that she had seen too.   
  
He took off as fast as he could, dragging her with him. His mind focused on the safety of the shelter. The destruction of the city was just a blur to him. He felt A'Marie jerk back when they were nearly to safety, but he yanked her forward unmercilessly. When he reached the shelter he turned to see if they were both all right.   
  
They weren't. A'Marie's eyes were glazed with pain. And his daughter, Aelan was crying at the top of her lungs able to feel or sense others pain as all Alantian were apt to do. The bond between mother and daughter were so close that Aelan felt nearly as much pain as her mother. Alaric didn't have to search A'Marie's body to find the source of her pain. The arrow couldn't be missed.   
  
"A'Marie . . ." He whispered taking the baby from the arm that trembled under the strain of holding on to their baby when the arrow struck her shoulder. Alaric put Aelan down next to them making sure that she was under the shelter, he gathered A'Marie in his arms with trembling hands.   
  
"The wound is not fatal. Alaric you have to take the arrow out."  
  
"It'll hurt A'Marie." He warned.   
  
"I can take it, we can't stay here long Alaric ."   
  
He nodded taking hold of the arrow, unfortunately it hadn't gone all the way through. If it had he could have broken it and pulled it out easily. As it was the wound would open more because he would have to take it out with the head still on.   
  
He held her gaze waiting for her to signal that she was ready.   
  
A'Marie took at a deep breath then nodded to her husband. Alaric also took a deep breath. This was going hurt him also. The best way to do this was as quickly as possible. He yanked with a good measure of his strength.   
  
"AAAAAAAAHHHH!"  
  
"WAAAAAAAAHHHH!"  
  
Both mother and daughter's screams mingled. A'Marie was hovering between unconsciousness and consciousness while Alaric tore off one of his white sleeves to bandage the wound.   
  
"Don't faint, net yet A'Marie."  
  
"No . . ." She was struggling to stay awake.   
  
"Alaric!" A tall sturdy looking man named Baldishar had seen them take refuge under the debris.   
  
"Alaric we must help the people of Atlantis. If things go on like this we will all die. The king is dead, his second died before he did. There is no one to command the people. You are highly respected and should have been king."   
  
"I did not wish for that responsibility Baldishar."   
  
"Well now it has been given to you despite what you wish. The few people on Atlantis that still have their wits, have appointed you. You must help us!"   
  
Alaric looked at his wife and his child. He knew what this meant, being the king at this stage was just a sacrifice, no glory. He knew that taking on this duty would mean that he probably wouldn't be getting off Atlantis alive but still . . . He couldn't sit by and watch his people suffer and die.   
  
A'Marie smiled a sad smile telling him silently that she understood the consequences as well. And the decision was his, either way she'd stand by him. Alaric smiled ruthfully, they had almost made it to the boat.  
  
He turned to Baldishar. "Before leaving the rebels confiscated all of the weaponry, right?"   
  
"Right."   
  
"That leaves out fighting, do we still have tools or back up weapons?"  
  
"A few hammers and bows and arrows."   
  
"Ok, here's the plan, we need twenty strong men preferably soldiers, thirty if you have them. We should have more but I want the best men for the first part of the plan."   
  
"Done."   
  
"Half of them are to rescue as many boats as they can. They are to take them behind the left gate away from the rebels and close to the temple on the central hill. The other half are to gather the people by any means necessary, but try hard not to hurt them. Try very hard Baldishar. As for the rest of the men and soldiers divide them in two groups as well. We want the best archers to cover the soldiers rescuing the boats and the people, the other half will be making more arrows as fast as they can. We can do it, we are Atlantians the best craftsmen and soldiers this world has seen. Atlantis is sinking so I don't have to tell you this has to be done with all haste. Have the soldiers gathering the people to herd them to the temple on Central Hill, it sits the highest on the land and is closest to the water escape route behind the gates. GO!!"  
  
"Yes Sir!"  
  
Alaric turned to his wife. She had known about this, she had once told him he would live up to his name. Alaric: he who rules.   
  
"A'Marie, the first open life boat . . . you and our daughter will be it's first passengers."   
  
"We go no where without you."   
  
"A'Marie you don't understand. I get on the boats last if there are any left after the people have boarded. I have to be here for them."   
  
"And I have to be here for you. We go no where without you."   
  
"For the sake of our daughter -"  
  
"Alaric you are an Atlantian, you know we mate for life. And grief is our deadliest enemy. I wouldn't live long if you died, and Aelan wouldn't live long if I died. It is best for us to live or die together. We stay with you."   
  
He nodded and was about to lead them out from under the shelter to make a dash for Central Hill when he noticed Aelan was asleep. The sleep, however, looked painful and unnatural.   
  
"What is wrong with her?" He asked concerned.   
  
A'Marie knew her daughter's secrets. She knew why her sleep was painful, every Alantian had a special quality Aelan's was healing even now A'Marie could feel the pain transferring from her shoulder to her baby's shoulder, she couldn't stop it. It was a bittersweet gift, while she would be helping people around her forget their pain she herself would be in pain most of the time. She also knew why her daughter's sleep was unnatural, but that was so much more complex.   
  
"Aelan, it's time for you to wake up now. The magic does not usually work for you but you must help it bring you back. Stay with him, he will protect you until the truth is revealed. There is much pain and suffering to come. Be strong little one and remember little by little your mother A'Marie: gracious under adversity, your father Aleric: He who rules, and yourself Aelan: Flower (healer of souls) Aleshannee: she who always plays Aira: of the wind. Please Remember . . ."  
  
*********************************  
  
Sesshoumaru stood over the dead body of the girl who had helped him, who had been kind to him. Her eyes were open staring unseeingly at the sky above. Ironically her face held a look of intense peace. Below her hand was a stem and cradled in her palm were crushed flower petals.   
  
'She smells dead, she looks dead, her lungs aren't taking in air, and her heart beat has stopped. Yet, I see no gaki. Tenseiga is pulsing, but I don't know what I am supposed to slay. Does this mean I can't bring this girl back with Tenseiga?' His chest tightened, why was this so important? 'I'll try it anyway.' He swung the Tenseiga at nothing in particular, just above her chest and waited. The girl's wounds magically healed themselves before his eyes. The bruises on her face disappeared as well as the bruises shaped like fingers that garnished her neck like a horrifying necklace. The girl, however, remained still. Not breathing, not so much as an eyelash fluttering.   
  
'Did Tenseiga work?'   
  
"It doesn't seem to be working Lord Sesshoumaru. Perhaps the Tenseiga doesn't find weak human worth its power." Jaken the king of stupidity and bad timing giggled like a school girl at his joke, expecting Sesshoumaru to join in on his amusement. He couldn't understand why Lord Sesshoumaru was even trying to save this unworthy human. It was probably an experiment to test the extent of Tenseiga's power. Jaken was glad the Tenseiga hadn't revived the human, and even if Lord Sesshoumaru was a little disappointed at Tenseiga's lack of power he would be glad as well. Why he probably - his thoughts were cut off when Sesshoumaru kneeled . . . KNEELED down beside the human girl lifting her torso to rest on his upraised knee. Jaken's jaw tumbled to the forest floor at the sight.   
  
*****************************  
  
Rin felt heat all over her body. She was confused, last she had remembered she was being choked, feeling the pain in her lungs from lack of air. Yes, she remembered pain, pain in her face, on her neck, in her heart. Her youkai . . .   
  
She slowly opened her eyes wide at first and immediately closed them against the bright light. Next time she opened them it was in a squint, this time she focused and the first thing she saw was intense golden eyes. She stared at them, such beautiful eyes she wanted to reach up and touch the beautiful face not that far from hers, but her hand didn't want to move just yet.   
  
'He looks so troubled.' Rin smiled at him and tried to sit up. It took a while, but her strength was returning to her body.  
  
"Lord Sesshoumaru?"   
  
Rin looked around the youkai lord who's name was obviously Sesshoumaru: the killing perfection. It fit him completely. There behind Sesshoumaru was the ugliest green youkai she'd ever seen. Of course she hadn't seen that many green youkai. She would have continued to stare at him, but Sesshoumaru chose that moment to rise. He turned away from her immediately. Rin looked up at him, staring at his noble back. She felt confused when he just walked away saying nothing to her or the green youkai. 'Why do I feel like he is deliberately trying to put as much distance as possible between himself and me and this little youkai?' The ugly youkai sputtered and immediately followed after the youkai lord.   
  
Rin sat there for a while staring after him, memories were flooding her brain. The lord's son over her squeezing the breath out of her. Her chest hurting , the desperation, the fear of knowing that she was going to die. The last thought that ran through her mind. Rin looked down at her hands, her fingertips were no longer aching from clawing her captors face or the forest floor. The skin and nails that had been previously torn completely off were now back to normal. Her hands came up to her neck, her throat was no longer hurting. She touched her face, her lip was no longer busted. It was like her death and the events leading up to her death had never happened. 'I knew if I got to him I would be all right' she thought as she looked at his back. He was still walking away from her, but slower now.   
  
*Stay with him, he will protect you until the truth is revealed.*   
  
Rin didn't question where the voice came from. At this moment she would have been happy with anything that excused her urge to follow him, to save him as he had saved her. She had a feeling he needed it. She got up and ran after him.   
  
********************************  
  
"I'd like to see Rin please. Immediately." Kiyomi snapped impatiently. She had a feeling something had gone very wrong. She tried to convince herself that she was imagining things, but she trusted her instincts too much.   
  
"Rin is out, she won't be receiving visitors for quite a while."   
  
Kiyomi hated the twisted smile on the girl's face, It was full of maliciousness.   
  
Kiyomi gave the girl a menacing smile of her own, letting her miko powers swirl all around her like an invisible cloak. Even a human with the smallest spiritual awareness could feel the danger.   
  
"Atsuko isn't it? Either you tell me where Rin is this instant or they won't be able to find all the pieces of your body for a proper burial." Her voice was low and a glint entered her eyes giving the impression that she would like nothing better than to slay this girl.   
  
The girl Atsuko was scared stiff and dumb, unable to move, to speak, to even think. An elderly servant spoke stepping up beside the frozen girl.   
  
"Rin is dead. The lord's son came back to the castle and Basho made the announcement. His lordship was not happy, furious actually, we thought that he was going to kill his son but he never went into his room where the lord's son has been hiding every since, instead he just went back to his quarters to cool off. A couple of villagers are gathering to find her body in the forest."   
  
Kiyomi felt rage building up inside her. She felt like she couldn't control it. 'I must, but first I'll kill him.' No one had to tell Kiyomi who was responsible for Rin's murder, and she was sure it had been a murder. She pushed past all the servants and guards and burst into the young lords room. He was sitting facing the window staring at nothing. Basho was pacing back and forth behind his lord, master . . . friend.   
  
Kiyomi's rage was near to overflowing, spilling over the edge. Her rigid control was like a dam that was slowly cracking under the apparent unconcern of the young lord sitting peacefully by the window. She turned to Basho.   
  
"LEAVE US!!" She yelled, no longer in control of her voice, her whole being daring her to disobey her. Almost pleading with him to give her an excuse to do violence. He must have seen this because he didn't hesitate, scurrying in his desperation to show how fickle his loyalty really was.   
  
When the door closed Kiyomi walked slowly up to the young lord wondering why he hadn't turned, or gave some indication that he knew of her approach. When she reached him she waited. But he never turned. Her lungs contracted with apprehension making it hard to breath. She braced her hand on the wall and walked around to his front and stared him dead in the face, what was left of it . . .   
  
Kiyomi turned away trying not to vomit. He was still alive and functioning and with proper care he would live, possibly a long life. But no woman would ever again find him attractive. For on his face were four holes like finger prints on each cheek, so deep they went past his skin, muscle, and bones enabling Kiyomi to see into his mouth. Around each small hole the skin seemed to have been burnt off, as she stared in horror he turned to her, saliva oozed out of some of the holes. His jaws worked, he was trying to say something . . .   
  
Very gross way to end a chapter huh? well tell me what you think of the story so far, I'm interested. :) 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
Rin was sleeping peacefully, finally, Sesshoumaru had been watching her for a while and had been disturbed by the fact that her sleep seemed torturous. In fact whenever she slept it seemed that way. It had gotten to the point that Sesshoumaru didn't want her to sleep so he prolonged their journeys making sure she was exhausted. He had hoped that exhaustion would help ease her into a dreamless sleep, but it didn't work, nothing worked and he was greatly annoyed by this. He couldn't stand it, actually what he couldn't stand was he didn't know how to fix it.   
  
He glanced around, Jaken was taking too long with their meal, not that it would bother Rin any, she had fallen straight to sleep as soon as he said they would make camp. This worried him, Rin never skipped a meal, she had a healthy appetite. She was usually the one who did the searching for food and the cooking. Sesshoumaru knew it was because she was trying to prove to him that she could be useful and not just a burden. While he found this attitude to be commendable he was tired of eating the fish she caught, he needed real meat. Plus her cooking skills were not all that much more impressive than Jaken's and at least Jaken wasn't worn out from their travels.   
  
Rin stirred, even lost in his thoughts Sesshoumaru didn't miss the movement. He held his breath silently wishing that she wouldn't return to her tormenting dreams. His hope was in vain, Rin began to twist and turn violently. Ugly sounds were torn from her throat, her face contorted in agony. Her dreams were becoming worse and worse by the night.   
  
Her breathing became louder, her hand and arm movements more agitated. Sesshoumaru was at a lost as to what to do and if she got any worse the whole forest would know where to find them. He got up from his sitting position under a large oak tree and walked over to her. As he knelt down beside her, her hand stretched out as if she was searching for something to hold on to. What she got was a fistful of his hair.   
  
Sesshoumaru growled, baring his fangs as shocks of pain shot along his scalp. He grabbed her hand, for a tiny human female she had amazing strength not to mention a death grip on his precious platinum locks. He couldn't pry her hand away from his hair without hurting her in this position. So he did the only thing he could do: he picked her up. That way she didn't have to climb on -what she was treating like a rope- to get where she was going in her dreams. He carried her over to the tree he had been leaning on and placed her on his lap. There he began the tender process of pulling every strand of hair from her fist.   
  
When he was finished he leaned back on the tree and closed his eyes. Not two seconds later his eyes were wide open and he was fighting the instinct to jerk up right and thus unseat Rin. The little wretch had repositioned herself against his chest, her face now hiding in the curve of his neck and one of her hands was inside the neckline of his kimono.   
  
He should be familiar with this kind of familiarity from her. The first day she traveled with him, she had touched him more than any creature in his entire life. Except maybe his mother. He shut down the thoughts on his mother, the part of his brain that held memories of his mother was off limits, to everyone including him. But this girl this insignificant human touched him often and strangely enough got away with it.   
  
The first time she touched him it was the same day that she decided to follow him. Jaken had been staring at her for a while and had thought to remind him, Sesshoumaru, over and over every ten minutes that the human was still following him. Though he hadn't let on Sesshoumaru had found Jaken's confusion amusing. He hadn't thought the girl had cared one way or another about Jaken, until he was walking along unaware that he had slowed his pace enough for the girl to catch up with him and he had felt a touch on his hand.   
  
He nearly jumped, getting a handle on his involuntary reaction just before it gave him away. He had looked down at the girl to see what had prompted her insanity. She hadn't been looking at him, she had been staring at Jaken. The look on her face was puzzled as if she had been trying to figure him out, not sure what he was and what he was about. It took Sesshoumaru ten minutes to realize his hand was still cradled in her's and worse he was returning the palm to palm embrace. He slowly took his hand from hers making sure not to appear too eager or too disconcerted.   
  
He couldn't fault her for touching him that time. It was purely instincts, and she was a human after all, they didn't have the discipline to control their instinctual behavior. The second time she had the courage to lay her hands on him, she had done the unthinkable she had the utter audacity to caress his tail. There had been an insect biting on the tip. He hadn't felt like reaching down to flick it off so he twitched his tail trying to dislodge the pest. Only the tip ever left the ground but the girl had been sitting close to him and his tail had passed by her line of vision.  
  
He should have known something was up when the girl froze her gaze never leaving his rear appendage. All of a sudden out of the corner of his eye he saw her attack his tail. She had caught him by surprise, and his reflexes didn't kick in fast enough for his tail to elude her grasp altogether. She caught the rear of his tail and began stroking. This action did three things: it removed the pesky vermin, it soothed the itch, and it aroused him immeasurably. He couldn't stop the shudder from racking his body. The pleasure was so great he couldn't bring himself to stop her, and if Jaken hadn't arrived and distracted her he didn't know how long it would have lasted or what would have become of the situation. From that moment on he had made sure to keep his tail well away from her.  
  
Two weeks had passed since the day he had used Tenseiga on her and for two weeks he had been subjugated to spontaneous touches. Something that didn't please him but also didn't displease him. He also noticed something else in the past two weeks, his stub was elongating. He had noticed long ago that the more he used the Tenseiga the more his more permanent wounds would start to heal themselves. He had used the Tenseiga on Jaken and he had once used Tenseiga on a dead man that had some information he needed. Each time his injured arm repaired itself a little. When he had saved the girl he hadn't done so just to heal himself, in fact he didn't think about it until the next morning when he had opened his eyes and seen the added length. The surprising thing was that it kept growing it didn't stop as it had the previous times, at this rate his arm would be fully repaired in a day or two.   
  
Sesshoumaru shifted his gaze from the dark forest to his injured arm. It was a constant pain that reminded him of the careless mistake he had made so long ago. But when the girl was this close to him he literally felt no pain, in his arm or anywhere else. It wasn't the first time he noticed peculiar things about her. On the second night together he had noticed how she had favored her right shoulder and she continued to put both arms behind her back and stretched as if her upper back near her shoulder blades was hurting her deeply. That night while she and Jaken were sleeping he had checked her shoulders and back for wounds but he had found none.   
  
She no longer favored her shoulder, but she still rubbed her shoulder blades and stretched to relieve the tension. Soon he would find out what was wrong with her. Rin breathe in deep, her breath teasing his neck. She shifted a little, but remained calm and relaxed. If this was all it took for her to calm down in her dreams he would have to do it more often. He closed his eyes again, basking in the perpetual bliss that came with being this close to her scent. Jaken had better get back with that food soon, he was starving.  
  
****************************  
  
Two weeks, two weeks she had been nursing the detestable young man and she had found out nothing. Even though his wounds were healing he seemed unable to talk. It was ironic that he was as mute as the girl he had once tormented. His silence was tormenting her, however. She wanted to know who did this to him. Maybe he hadn't killed Rin, maybe what had attacked Rin had attacked him as well. Rin couldn't be dead, her body was no where to be found. Kiyomi had made sure the entire forest had been searched again and again.   
  
Kiyomi had asked Basho on a number of occasions what had happened, like the injured man before her Basho also told her nothing. Even at the threat of his soul. Staring at Basho's blank genuinely confused expression, Kiyomi realized that he honestly didn't recall the events that had occurred two weeks ago in the forest. This nursing and questioning him nicely was getting her nowhere she would have to try something straightforward.   
  
She knelt down beside the prone figure of the lord's son.   
  
"Rin was not found in the forest, Rin is not dead . . ."   
  
She had been about to say more but he panicked before she could.   
  
"uuing, wungka . . ."  
  
"What . . .?" she bent down close to him.   
  
"Wu ingsa . . ."  
  
". . ."  
  
"WA INGS" This was said loudly and he began choking and his own spit.   
  
"Wha ings?! I don't understand what you are saying, spit it out!!" She had never been so heartless.  
  
"Wi INGS" He sat up with the force of this word and fell back spent when he finished.  
  
'It sounds like he is saying wings, but what the hell does that have to do with anything? Damn!' She stood up and turned her movements were angry, as she stomp out of the room. She had to find Rin she had a feeling that her friend was in danger.   
  
***************************  
  
"You stupid human! When you come down I'm going to break your filthy neck. Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't want your stupid fish and he would rather you stop following him. It's pathetic, you are pathetic!"   
  
Rin couldn't ignore Jaken this time, every since she had woken from that glorious dreamless sleep last night he had pestered her. He usually made some snide remark when Sesshoumaru was not around but never had he said anything so hurtful. Rin shook her head, the only reasons his words hurt was because they were true, Rin paused in her task, her head down. Sesshoumaru didn't eat the fish she caught anymore and her following him around was pathetic. It's just that she had no where else to go. No one to go home to. At this moment she hated Jaken, she had been so happy these last two weeks with Sesshoumaru. Even if he ignored her most of the time, she felt like she was getting closer to him by the day. Or that is what she had convinced herself, she admitted to herself that all the effort was one-sided and that he barely noticed she was following him.   
  
Well she would not continue to make a fool of herself. She would catch this damn fish and she would cook it so good he'd haft to eat it, then tomorrow or perhaps tonight she would leave them, she would depend on only herself and she would find a way to live on her own. Her chin hardened her eyes lit up with resolve, she was perched on a fallen log of a tree the log hovered over a stream. The current was strong sweeping everything in it's path along with it. Rin was not afraid she was a surprisingly strong swimmer unlike the rest of her family. She had laughed when her parents panicked when she was younger (at the time the only child.) and she had fallen into the river they had been passing.   
  
She hadn't been frighten and took to the water like a fish. Her parents had been astonished and relieved, they were unable to have children of their own and had thought Rin was a blessing when she just materialized on their doorstep. From the moment they had decided to keep her they had become over protective not wanting to lose her and with her their chance at true happiness. From then on she had performed miracle after miracle. Oddly enough when her mother had finally conceived she had told the midwife and her fellow villagers that she had a feeling that Rin was responsible. Other people had scoffed at this but her mother had continued to believe that Rin was the one responsible for the good fortune. Rin would always be grateful that even after her parents had children of their own they still treated her as their daughter, no more and no less important than her siblings.   
  
Now Rin was poised on the fallen log her bare feet gripping the wood, her movements unsure in her new kimono. She had gotten used to her ill fitting kimono that was so short it left her lower legs free. Sesshoumaru had ordered Jaken to find her some suitable garments on the first day of the second week. Jaken swore it was because Sesshoumaru hated looking at ugly things and claimed she was ugly enough without the offending attire she always wore. Rin didn't care why the clothing had been provided, they looked and felt better than any clothes she had ever owned. She had also been provided shoes, but she didn't like wearing them.   
  
Rin balanced toward the edge of the log, having every intention of laying down on the edge and trying to catch one of the fish that jumped out of the water.   
  
Jaken was getting frantic, true, master Sesshoumaru hadn't shown any un-due interest in this lousy human (except for last night), but Jaken had this sinking that if anything happened to the girl it would be his head. He had to admit, he was jealous, this girl was even closer to Sesshoumaru than he Jaken, loyal servant had ever been. And she had done it in only two weeks. He wanted her to drown, but he wasn't sure if that was what Lord Sesshoumaru wanted anymore. And what Lord Sesshoumaru wanted, Jaken made sure he got if it was within his power.   
  
Jaken began his threats again trying to get her to come down from the log before she killed herself.   
  
That was how Sesshoumaru found them. Jaken cursing to high heaven threatening Rin in more ways than Sesshoumaru had thought he knew and Rin about to fall in dangerous waters. Needless to say, he was not happy.   
  
Sesshoumaru was furious even before he had gotten to the river scene. He was having a very bad day. He had visited the swordsmith today, Jaken had assured him that he had let the man know he was coming. The foolish human had let the sword posses him and had fallen in love with it's power. Sesshoumaru had spent the morning trying to track the idiot down. The sword had accepted Sesshoumaru as it's master, therefore, it had let Sesshoumaru know of it's whereabouts and the search hadn't taken as long as it could have. now he comes back to the spot that he left Jaken and Rin and found himself back in the mist of chaos. He heard Jaken way before he saw him, and he was enraged at how he spoke to the girl, he had not given Jaken permission to treat her like a verbal punching bag.   
  
He was about to reprimand him when he noticed that Rin was nowhere near the toad. 'Has Jaken finally lost his mind?' He sniffed the air, 'no Rin is here somewhere.' He came closer, close enough to see around the huge tree Jaken stood beside. His heart slammed to a stop in his chest, at that precise moment Rin was loosing her footing on the fallen tree. He reacted, using his super speed he jumped in the air landing beside Rin as light as a feather, and pulling her up bridal style in his arms he jumped back to the safety of the forest floor.   
  
He put her down immediately, not trusting himself not to do harm or something else (he didn't want to know what that something else was) to her. Besides he had a frog to kill.   
  
"Rin, Stay! Don't even think of moving from that spot!" It was the closest he'd ever come to barking again.   
  
"Jaken . . ." his voice was now smooth almost pleasant Jaken was terrified he knew what that voice meant.   
  
"Follow me." Jaken didn't hesitate to do what he was told, his legs shaking, knees knocking against each other with every step.   
  
When they were out of hearing distance of the human Sesshoumaru stopped. His back was to Jaken and he did nothing for so long Jaken was about to faint from the dread of what was to come. Suddenly Jaken was held at eye level with Sesshoumaru. His master was choking him.   
  
"I should kill you for many things Jaken, but mostly because you did nothing that could have prevented Rin from falling to her death." His voice was a pleasant monotone and a evil smile lifted one corner of his mouth. Jaken struggled though he knew it was useless.   
  
"Yes I should kill you, it give me great pleasure on this day, when so many insignificant beings have made trouble for me. But I won't." He released Jaken making him fall several feet to the ground. Jaken began loudly gasping for breath.   
  
"I have a knew job for you. Listen carefully I will only say this once." Jaken held his breath not wanting to miss his master's knew command.   
  
"From know until I tell you otherwise, you will be Rin's protector when I'm not around. If something happens to her while I'm gone, I will kill you. Also don't ever let me hear you speak so disrespectfully to her as you did today." This was said as Sesshoumaru was walking away. Jaken released his breath. 'Damn hu-' He cut his thoughts off not even daring to think negatively about the human while Sesshoumaru was near.   
  
Rin was not where Sesshoumaru left her, he didn't have to search for her, however, her scent led him right to her. She had made camp and started a fire. there roasting over the fire was a large juicy looking fish. Sesshoumaru didn't ask where she got it. Something told him he didn't want to know.  
  
*****************************  
  
Rin slowly made her way out of camp, it was a good thing she had slept so far away from Sesshoumaru and Jaken, near the river in the pretense of being angry. She knew of his superior hearing and with each step she prayed he wouldn't hear her. She had the fact that she was light footed, dressed in her old kimono so that if she held up her arms you couldn't hear the clothes rustle at all because it was so tight on her, the rushing water of the river, and the fact that this was the day Sesshoumaru decided to sleep to thank for his not hearing her right away. She made to the river and looked back toward the camp, she was going to miss him . . .  
  
Not that much action in this chapter, sorry about that, more to come. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5   
  
'How dare she escape. Who told her she could leave, she would kill herself trying to survive on her own.'  
  
*******************************  
  
Rin shivered in the chilly night air. It had been three days since she had sneaked away from the camp leaving Sesshoumaru and that mean toad Jaken behind. Three very lonely days in which she still had not decided on her future. She was homeless, no families and no friends. She fought back tears as she had every time she thought about her situation. She refused to cry, tears wouldn't resolve anything.   
  
She stood up, it was time she saw to finding a secluded area to camp and gather her evening meal. She picked up her small bag, which carried the only belongings she had left in the world. A wash cloth, a bowl, a dull knife, a mixer, a towel, a small blanket and one of the kimonos Sesshoumaru had given her. She hadn't wanted to take the kimono, but she really needed a change of clothes.   
  
She traveled a little farther and found a small cave hidden behind a few trees, it was by a small lake. The hiding space required that she do a little climbing, but Rin didn't mind. She always pushed herself to the limit. She didn't want to think she just wanted to mindlessly trudge along.   
  
Rin shook her head, she was scaring herself. Yesterday she had found herself staring straight ahead not noticing the beautiful surroundings, not even the flowers. Upon noticing this she began picking flowers frantically nearly becoming hysterical, if she lost her joy in the small things then she really did have nothing and life really did have no meaning. That thought scared her spit less, for if this was true then why had she lived when all of her loved ones had died.   
  
A few tears had escaped that day, she had picked all those flowers but she had nothing to do with them. She had ended up making a small memorial to her dead family on the ground with the flowers and spoke to her family telling them that she missed them and that she still loved them. Oddly this had mentally strengthened her and physically weakened her at the same time.   
  
Rin had made it to the cave and checked to make sure it was empty. Seeing it was safe she left her things there and began to climb back down. She was tired of fish, but right now that was the easiest thing for her to catch. She would also gather some berries and whatever else she could find that was eatable.   
  
******************************  
  
Sesshoumaru watched as the girl painstakingly made her way down the side of the steep hill. He had woken up three days ago to find her missing, it hadn't even taken him a day to find her despite her excellent methods to cover her tracks. He had sent Jaken ahead to the Western Lands and had been watching the girl ever since. Ironically she was headed toward his home.   
  
He was truly surprised that she had lasted this long, yes he was surprised and something else. Today he had finally realized what he felt along with the initial wonder. He felt a grudging respect and . . . pride, almost as if he himself had taught her how to survive.   
  
He followed her the short way to the lake. He had asked himself why he had pursued her, why he cared if she left. He had came to the conclusion that he was just making sure that she made it to the safety of a village as repayment for her earlier help. He didn't have to do much convincing because that had truly been his intent . . . in the beginning. Now though, he was intrigued and wouldn't mind having her around long enough to figure out the mystery that was Rin. Then, naturally he would discard her.   
  
He remembered the day he thought the strain of traveling on her own had finally gotten to her. She had started to pick flowers like a maniac. He had been shocked and a little disgusted by this show of insanity, but before he could turn away and leave for good, she had pulled herself together and she had even smiled. He had watched her make a memorial for her lost family and felt a tug of familiarity. He had once done something like that for his mother. He had left her in peace, a respectful move that he never thought he would give any human, so that she could have this time to morn her family, which he had a feeling she hadn't been given a chance to do yet.  
  
He now watched as she stood in water that came to her calves. Her sleeves were rolled up, her face was lined with exhaustion. He knew she hadn't slept for the entire three days and she looked as if she would faint from lack of sleep at any moment. She stood in the water for what seemed like an hour, her fatigue making her hands clumsy. She dropped every fish she caught. She began shivering, teeth chattering, and her lips blue from cold tightened with determination. Sesshoumaru started to step forward, this was unnecessary he would get the damn fish for her if she wanted it. When he was about to reveal himself she caught a fish and held on to it. she brought it to the bank.  
  
Instead of going immediately back to the cave, she began to undress. 'Stupid human, she's going to freeze to death.' Again he took a step toward her, and stopped dead in his tracks. Her lower back was lovely as he had expected, but her upper back was swollen and red. When had she been so deeply injured?  
  
********************************  
  
Rin shivered, she was so cold but she couldn't go back to the cave just yet. She had to see to her back. It had been aching every since Sesshoumaru had awoken her or whatever he had done, she still wasn't sure about the events that caused her to still be living.   
  
She reached one hand around and tentatively touched her upper back between her shoulder blades. Rin had wondered many times if this was an injury she had acquired when she had been attacked by the Lord's Son. But she continually discarded this explanation because instead of healing as it should it felt as if it was getting worse.   
  
She pressed the flesh in, half expecting something to come out, puss, blood anything. Her back felt so full, she pressed harder and opened her mouth on a silent scream shuddering from the pain of it. Rin bent over the cold water, the top of her kimono completely hanging off her torso. She dipped her washing cloth in the freezing water and began to bathe her shoulders and back, signing with a small amount of pleasure when the cloth touched between her shoulder blades soothing the heat and the swelling. She rung the cloth dry and slipped back on her kimono. She'd wash the rest of her body in the morning. Right now she was too cold, too tired and she had no dog youkai and his sensitive nose to consider. She could forget about the berries and plants as well, it had taken her too long to catch one lousy fish.   
  
Said fish in her hand she started back toward her temporary home, picking up some twigs and such for fire wood and a flower for good measure on the way. When she was nearly there she felt something almost like a sixth sense. She stopped and looked back the way she came from up towards the trees. She felt like someone or something was watching her, and strangely she didn't feel threatened by its presence, she almost felt relieved. She shook her head 'what nonsense am I thinking now? There's nothing there and even if there was I shouldn't feel relieved. She tucked the flower in her hair tied the string that held the fish onto her shoulder. Took a sash which was more like a torn piece of cloth and began tying the firewood to her back. After everything was secure she began to climb the steep hill.   
  
***********************************  
  
Sesshoumaru watched as the little human female made a tiny fire. He knew she had deliberately made it so small in an attempt to keep predators from seeing the fire and thus her hiding location. He saw the fish roasting over the fire knowing it would take longer because of the diminutive size of the flame and the good size of the fish. He watched as she sat as close to the fire as possible nearly singeing the skirt of her kimono in an attempt to get warm. He wanted to tell her that she could make the fire bigger, that he would make sure that no predator would bother her. But that would mean revealing himself, and possibly spooking her into running again. And that would not be good at least not until he got his answers.   
  
He wondered if she already knew he was here. After all she had looked straight at him not too long ago. That had really shocked him, he hadn't really hidden himself but he knew her human eyes could not see him up in the trees. He immediately dismissed the idea of her knowing that he was near, it was impossible.   
  
That she had, to some measure, sensed him didn't surprise him. Humans were strange that way, sometimes showing great insight sometimes showing none. That unpredictability was what made Sesshoumaru believe that humans should not be underestimated. Only a fool would underestimate his enemies. Sesshoumaru was not a fool.   
  
*******************************  
  
It had been three days since she had set out to find and rescue Rin. Kiyomi was getting tired and she had a feeling she wasn't even close to zeroing in on Rin's location.  
  
Kiyomi sighed she couldn't give up now. She just hoped the village would be safe while she was gone. She never left her post at the village, but one duty was sometimes more important and pressing than another.   
  
She would make camp here. And tomorrow she would continue her search for Rin.   
  
********************************  
  
"Inu Yasha slow down we have to rest here for tonight, everyone is tired."   
  
"You guys are so weak, If it-"  
  
"If it wasn't for us you would have found the Shikon by now." Kagome, Sango, Miroku, and Shipo all said in unison, used to hearing this statement from the hanyou. Even Kirara snorted adding her two cents.  
  
"Feh!" Was Inu Yasha only reply.  
  
"Inu Yasha, why don't you want to stop for tonight?" Kagome ever sensitive to the changes in Inu Yasha's moods, asked quietly enough so that only he could hear. "Is it because this is the night of the new moon?"   
  
"Yeah, and if you hadn't noticed we're really close to my dear bro's lands." He felt it safe enough to express this much with Kagome considering the others couldn't hear him.   
  
"Oh." Both Kagome and Inu Yasha were thinking of the most recent fight with Sesshoumaru how even after being hit with the Kaze No Kizu he had been able to walk away nearly or completely unscathed they weren't sure which. It was not good to be this close to Sesshoumaru, during the new moon no less.   
  
*************************  
  
She was making too much noise. She hadn't gone to sleep since she left him and Jaken. He had started to think she had been unable to sleep at all. Sesshoumaru jumped from his perch on a tall tree and into the small cave in one bound. He wasn't able to stand up, the ceiling of the cave was too low to the ground. So he crouched, annoyed that he had to take on this undignified position. He slowly made his way over to where she lay on the ground.   
  
She twisted and turned crying out in agony, and even as he touched her face and sheltered her with his tail she still wouldn't quiet down. 'What tortures you so, Rin? What are your dreams showing you?' He asked knowing she couldn't hear him even if he had said it out loud, she was lost to this world and everything in it.  
  
****************************  
  
The explosions were deafening, the sounds of battle were horrible. Alaric turned, looking for his wife as he had done many times in the last hour. He now fully understood why soldiers with family didn't want their love ones any where near the danger. It proved to be a serious and dangerous distraction.   
  
How many Atlantians were left? he scanned the small crowd and did an estimate. About eighty, he could most probably fit all of those on the last life boat. He felt a deep sense of urgency, he could get his family off this sinking kingdom alive. Where the hell were those soldiers? He couldn't lead the people off into danger so he had to wait for the ok of the soldiers that they had the next boat ready. He glanced around frantically the inner walls of the temple were about to be breached, he could feel the vibration that shook the building with every heave of the huge log being banged up against the outer door. They had to hurry. He glanced over to his wife she was staring at him steadily. He resisted the urge to ask her what was going to happen, he had never taken advantage of her gift before and he wouldn't do so now. Plus he wasn't sure he wanted to know.   
  
"Sir, sir!" Alaric watched as a young Atlantian (he couldn't be any more than sixteen) ran up to him.  
  
"Akando what is it what's wrong, where are the other soldiers?" Akando had been one of the few soldiers to volunteer to see the people safely to the safety boats, for that Alaric would always be thankful to him as well as the other soldiers.   
  
"It's the boats sir," Akando said panting for air.  
  
"Damn! what about them?"   
  
"There isn't any more."  
  
"What do you mean there isn't any more, we filled each boat to the brim to make sure we all got out. Did something happen to the last one?"   
  
"No sir, the one before was always the last one."   
  
"When we counted the boats before we loaded them, there was enough for us all."   
  
"We must have miss counted sir." This was said almost snidely and Alaric was starting to get a bad vibe from this kid.  
  
He asked very quietly, his voice full of menace, "Where are the other soldiers?"   
  
"Dead sir."   
  
Alaric smiled, feeling a rage so deep it surpassed normality. "And how did they die Akando?" He already knew the answer, but he was a fair man that didn't make snapped judgments. He would hear what this traitor had to say.   
  
The young Atlantian smiled as well, "You already know the answer to that question sir, so let's not waste time."   
  
"The other Atlantians . . ?" Alaric asked.   
  
"The only true Atlantians are the rebels, all else are cheap imitations."  
  
"Now who is wasting time? You Know what I mean are they alive?"   
  
"Unfortunately yes, but that can easily be rectified. We know where they are going and as soon as we dispose of the rest of you we will go after them."  
  
"It was a yes or no question and all I wanted to hear was yes!" Alaric attacked the young boy before he had finished this statement. He struck him several times before his hands settled on the young Atlantian's gullet. He didn't squeeze he wouldn't kill him, not yet. He could be used in some way Alaric was sure. Before he dealt with him though he had to think of what to do with the few people of Atlantis left.   
  
Alaric was turning to address his people, the unconscious boy lying unmoving on the floor when A'Marie ran up to him pulling him away from the temple doors, which at that moment burst open. The explosion knocking both of them several feet forward. A'Marie lost her balance, but Alaric caught her before she fell. Their daughter was still held securely in her arms. Aelan's eyes were wide open and with a steadfast look at all going on around her.   
  
The people of Atlantis were mumbling in frightened whispers as they stared at the open area where the temple doors once were. Alaric watched the doorway warily every once in a while glancing around looking for an exit.   
  
There was none.   
  
There were no weapons as well, they were defenseless.   
  
Soon several footsteps could be heard, Alaric along with all in the temple sucked in a breath, preparing themselves for what was to come. He pushed A'Marie behind him spreading his wings in a symbolic gesture telling all that he protected not only his wife and child but the people of Atlantis as well. This seemed to calm his people a little.   
  
"I take it that you are ready to surrender Alaric. There is no way out of this situation. However we will not kill you as of yet, you could be some use to us." The leader of the rebels stepped past the smoke that rose from the debris.  
  
"And the people of Atlantis?"   
  
"The people standing behind you should die! For what they did to Atlantis!"   
  
"And what about what you did to it, it's sinking. In an hour or two it will not even be here, you are the traitor here Amos not me and not these people!"   
  
"SILENCE! I will have your silence or I will have your tongue. I was not finished. Atlantis is more than a place my dear Alaric it is a state of being a way looking at things. When you signed a treaty with those outside of Atlantis you signed us to a limitation. We are stronger, more clever, with better gifts than those who are beneath us, we should rule them. I will not kill these people you protect so passionately, that is not my master's wish. Lock them in chains." This last sentence was said to the rebels he commanded.   
  
Aelan let out a huge cry, it bounced off the walls echoing eerily in the silence hinting at an extreme amount of inner strength. Amos whipped around at the sound looking at the bundle in A'Marie arms. One of the rebels behind Amos stepped forward and whispered loud enough for Alaric to hear, in Amos' ear.   
  
"Is that the child the master was talking about?"  
  
"I don't know but we'll find out when he inspects the prisoners."  
  
"Should I take the child separately?"  
  
Alaric stiffened at this question.  
  
"No, let them keep the child a little while longer." Amos no longer caring about the child turned his back and walked away letting his men take care of the prisoners.   
  
"Alaric?" A'Marie looked at him frightened by what she had heard the men say.  
  
"It'll be all right A'Marie." He laid a comforting hand on her shoulder, not wanting to appear too close to her. Knowing that the rebels would take great pleasure in hurting him in any way.   
  
"Alaric, please don't let them put us with the people with injuries. Aelan . . . she's in too much pain as it is." She whispered urgently, three rebel men coming toward them. Sounds of panic could be heard throughout the temple as the rebels roughly manhandled the Atlantians into the iron chains.   
  
"A'Marie what do you mean, why is she in pain?" Alaric asked both confused and concerned as he looked down at the infant in her arms.   
  
"It's her gift Alaric, her gift and her curse."   
  
"Put these chains on!" It was a rebel fighter, he was holding the chains under Alaric's nose.  
  
"No."  
  
The rebel punched Alaric in the stomach. Alaric grunted bending over a little. But what stopped him from protesting more was the wounded sounds his baby daughter was making, her little body curling in a fetal position as if she were trying to protect her hurt stomach. He couldn't give the rebels any trouble, being this close to his daughter, she felt everything he was going through. He watched as they placed the chains on A'Marie and he surrendered . . . for now. He bent over and placed the chains around his ankles then his wrists.   
  
********************************  
  
Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl who was now sleeping peacefully. He remembered at one time in her dreams she had become extremely hot to the touch, he looked down at his hands which were beginning to heal themselves. That was strange, what was this girl. She smelled human, even though her smell was more pleasant. She looked human and other than what had just happened she hadn't given him any indication that she was anything but human and a weak one at that.   
  
He was interested, no he was more than interested he was fascinated. He had a feeling that this was an end to his long-term boredom. But he would have no more to do with this girl. He took a step back, away from the tiny figure in the undersized kimono, as if this would reinforce his decision. He had gotten too close, he had even felt her pain for a second when he had tried to calm her. He could have sworn he had seen a battle taking place. 'She can take care of herself, she has up until this moment and the village is not that far from here. I have more important things to do, I have been wasting time. I will stay the night then I will leave before she wakes up.' He leapt back into the tree he had resided in and relaxed waiting for dawn.   
  
*******************************  
  
Sesshoumaru hadn't been traveling for very long, he had left when the girl had began to stir. Now he was traveling at a decent pace back to his castle. He hadn't felt like flying so he had chosen tree-to-tree transportation. He never looked back, his mind had deliberately dismissed the human girl.   
  
Sesshoumaru stopped suddenly his ears perking up. 'What was that noise' he stretched his hearing a little further. 'It sounds like a scream, it's coming from the direction I just came from. It has to be Rin, I should have known she couldn't take care of herself in this youkai infested forest.' He took off back in the direction he came from. Flying, it only took him ten minutes to cover the distance he had traveled.   
  
He followed Rin's scent. The scene playing out before him would have been comical if it hadn't been so confusing. There was Rin on her knees, looking on the verge of passing out staring at her hands. Directly in front of her was a youkai who was literally frozen. He had been caught by surprise by the look on his face. Inu Yasha was there as well and he proved to be the most amusing. The hanyou was standing next to the immobilized youkai his mouth hanging open looking for all intents and purposes like a raving idiot. His brother's wench was kneeling beside Rin. Everyone else wore an expression of deep confusion. None of them had noticed him . . . Yet. 


	6. chapter 6

Chapter 6   
  
"Miko what have you done to the youkai?" Sesshoumaru asked, stepping into the line of vision of the group.   
  
"Sesshoumaru . . ." This was said in unison by all in Inu Yasha's clique.   
  
Sesshoumaru was pleased by their fear, but as always he had no time for them, the Miko hadn't answered his question.  
  
"Miko, what have you done to the youkai?" He hated repeating himself.  
  
Kagome was confused, "Me, I did nothing, the youkai was frozen when we got here." She hadn't even looked away from the young girl in her arms. 'She's trembling and she's hot to the touch. Somehow I don't think that's a good heat, I have to get her to some shelter, she's sick. I wonder what she did to that youkai.'   
  
"Sesshoumaru . . . what are you doing here, coming back for me to finish the ass wippin' I gave you last time?" Everyone groaned at Inu Yasha's words. The hanyou couldn't be quiet for once, could he?  
  
"Inu Yasha, try not to anger me further, you are on my land and for that alone I should kill where you stand."   
  
This shut the hanyou up for a little while not because of the content of the words, not because of the level glare that his brother wore, not even because of the tree he was now pinned too, but because for the first time, ever, Sesshoumaru looked like he really would kill him and that he'd enjoy it immensely.  
  
"Sesshoumaru!" Kagome was looking around for the arrow she'd dropped, the young woman momentarily forgotten. She stopped her search when it appeared that the girl had snapped out of her daze, she was now staring at Sesshoumaru in horror. Kagome followed the direction of her gaze a thousand thoughts racing through her mind. Mostly ways she could save Inu Yasha but also thoughts of how to get this girl to keep from bolting in fear of Sesshoumaru or worse try to freeze him like she had done the other youkai.   
  
She didn't have much time to formulate a plan however, because the girl was on her feet walking toward the fighting brothers. 'Oh no she's going to try to freeze them!' Kagome started after the girl when a blinding light flashed before her eyes and there standing before her was an angel, wings and all. Kagome shook her head and rubbed her eyes, and when she looked again she saw nothing out of the ordinary about the girl, no graceful wings flowing from her back. But in the instant that she saw those wings she had been convinced for life, no matter what happened, that they were there hidden for some unknown reason.   
  
Sesshoumaru heard someone coming up behind him, smelled the sweet scent he had tried so hard to forget, and felt annoyance. He was annoyed with the scent because it had, without his permission, cooled the fire of his anger toward his brother. He threw Inu Yasha down and turned sharply, trying to give the impression of hatred and impatience to the miniature human girl. It worked for all but her, everyone even that little kitsune runt rushed forward to stop him from breaking her neck. Then they stopped in wonder as she stepped forward close enough now to touch him without having to strain and laid her hand gently on his chest. She looked up at his face for a long time and then her face screwed up and her eyes began to glisten.   
  
The youkai lord had a serious predicament on his hands, he looked around frantically to see who he could give the leaky human to. He saw Inu Yasha and the monk, each wore an expression of both astonishment and sympathy. They were sympathetic but they weren't stupid. They were backing away from the girl distancing themselves from the scene. The females weren't much help either. Kagome looked content to let him suffer through this and Sango also seemed to enjoy his discomfort. Sesshoumaru growled at all of them, his teeth bared and coupled with his continued unflappable expression it was even more terrifying.   
  
He should have kept the growl to himself however, because it caused the girl to burst into tears she may have otherwise controlled and she wrapped both arms around him fiercely, then she fainted. Sesshoumaru caught her before she hit the ground and was shocked at how hot her skin was. It wasn't that powerful heat he had felt when she dreamed but a weak heat a sick heat. He could smell the sickness now that he was no longer distracted. She needed treatment immediately, he wasn't sure he could bring her back a second time.   
  
Sesshoumaru picked the girl up in his arms.   
  
"Miko, you have some experience with healing." It was a statement not a question. It suited his purposes that she had healing experience so that was the way it must be. He didn't wait for Kagome's nod of agreement. "Heal her."   
  
The only thing that kept Kagome from risking her life by telling Sesshoumaru what she thought of his high-handedness was the fact that he cared enough to demand. Also the girl really needed her help.   
  
"We don't have time to be playing no nurse-maid to no weak human girl. We have jewel shards to find. Come on Kagome." This, of course, was said by none other than the hanyou himself.   
  
"Inu Yasha, she needs our help." Kagome said with an I'm-putting-my-foot-down tone in her voice.   
  
"You can't be serious, I ain't no do-gooder." Inu Yasha took on his fighting stance sticking his face in Kagome's.   
  
"That's for sure, I think she has Pneumonia." Kagome shot back.   
  
"What's that supposed to mean?! And if she has Pneumonia that's all the more reason to leave, she's gonna die anyway, no one lives through Pneumonia."   
  
They were having two arguments now and unknown to them Sesshoumaru was getting highly pissed. His eyes began to glow red and the rest of the Inu Yasha group was slowly backing away.   
  
"Uh . . . guys I think you better wrap up this argument." Miroku broke through their fight.   
  
"What are you yappin' about Miroku!" Inu Yasha snapped.   
  
Miroku pointed at Sesshoumaru. "It appears that your youkai relative has had enough."   
  
Kagome and Inu Yasha turned around to see the demon lords eyes glowing brightly even in the sunlight.   
  
"Inu Yasha, we're going." Kagome whispered not taking her eyes off Sesshoumaru.   
  
"Feh." They all took this as agreement. Even Sesshoumaru calmed down . . . a little. He didn't have time for this.   
  
"One of us is going." Inu Yasha mumbled.   
  
"Actually you're right, you are going, but first you have to take me home."   
  
"WHAT!" Inu Yasha bellowed, "nothing doing."   
  
"Inu Yasha, you have to take me back-"   
  
This time Sesshoumaru's growl was more like a roar. He really didn't want to have to kill them, but he could have found another miko by now, he wouldn't waist another minute with them and if Rin died they both would follow her.  
  
He turned around and prepared for flight making sure Rin was secure.   
  
"Sesshoumaru!"   
  
Sesshoumaru ignored the miko called Kagome.   
  
"Sesshoumaru, if you don't let me tend her she will surely die."   
  
"I have had enough of this foolishness, I will trust what you say is true. I am taking Rin to my castle in the Western Lands. Inu Yasha knows the way, be there before the sun sets or after I find a miko to see to Rin I will hunt you and I will kill you." He departed.   
  
"So much for gratitude. Inu Yasha will you take me home?"   
  
"What for, it doesn't matter what that jerk says her can't kill you when you're with me."  
  
"Oh Inu Yasha." Kagome just turned to Sango and Miroku. "I know it's a lot to ask, but could you guys go ahead without Inu Yasha and me, to the outskirts of Sesshoumaru's castle. I suppose Inu Yasha can wait with me since I need to act quickly."   
  
"Sure Kagome, we'll be there by the time you and Inu Yasha get back." Sango assured her giving Kagome a quick hug.   
  
"Come on Inu Yasha." Kagome climbed onto his back.  
  
"Feh, you're too nice Kagome, and we're not staying long just long enough for you to heal the wench and then we're gone. Got it?!"   
  
"Yeah." was her only reply.   
  
*********************************  
  
Sesshoumaru paced to the window. The sun was almost down and the miko and his brother were no where to be found. He had been told by his castle guards that there were two unknown humans just outside the castle walls. They hadn't tried to approach and were simply waiting for something. Sesshoumaru had no intention of investigating he had a feeling that they belonged to the group Inu Yasha traveled with. This gave him hope that the miko was still coming.   
  
He turned away from the window and crossed the short distance to Rin. He had heard of this disease the humans called Pneumonia. None of the people that had gotten the disease had improved they all died within a month, often times less than a week. He didn't like this at all. Sesshoumaru bent over the human girl and touched a hand to her forehead. It was the hand that had been injured by Inu Yasha and as he touched her head the heat from her body traveled down his arm and soothed the muscles. He could feel the kneading of her power and he could see the glow surrounding his arm. This was no ordinary human, he should have known from the start. She was completely different from any being he had come in contact with, be it human or youkai.   
  
"My lord," Jaken came running into the room, he was panting. "My lord that insufferable brother of yours is at the castle gates, demanding to be let in. He has several humans with him."  
  
"Let them in Jaken." Sesshoumaru hadn't turned, he still watched Rin closely, not missing her fading heartbeat and clammy skin.  
  
"Aye Me lord."   
  
No sooner had Jaken departed than Inu Yasha and Kagome entered. Sesshoumaru was completely composed by then, standing stiffly in the far corner.   
  
"What is this about Sesshoumaru? You ask for Kagome's help then you have your minions try to kill us at the front gate?"  
  
"Inu Yasha shh . . . if you're going to argue do it outside!" Kagome dragged her full backpack over to the girl's bedside.   
  
"I'm gonna need Sango's help if I am to heal her, can you go get her Inu Yasha?"  
  
He sent a suspicious look over in Sesshoumaru's direction. He was met with stony silence. "Yeah sure, whatever."   
  
"It wasn't wise of you to send him away wench."  
  
"My name's Kagome."   
  
Sesshoumaru just stared at her, why would she mention something so irrelevant?   
  
"You told me before that you did nothing to the youkai in the forest. Are you aware of what happen?"  
  
Kagome glanced up from the spreading out the materials she needed on the small side table.   
  
"I don't know exactly what happened, We heard a scream and when we went in the direction it came from we ran into this young girl. She was going on and on about a youkai and a brave young girl. We could barely understand a word she was saying and she ran off before we could get the entire story from her, but we figured the girl that came to her rescue might need some help. When we arrived there was a strong light and we couldn't see anything for a while when we looked again there was this girl." Kagome nodded to Rin, she had resumed what she was doing unnerved by the intensity that Sesshoumaru was paying to her words. "She was just standing there looking at this youkai who was right in front of her, the youkai frozen to that spot. She never saw us, not even when she fell to her knees looking at her hands as if they didn't belong to her. She didn't see us when she snapped out of her trance either, because she just looked at you. She seemed to know you. Do you know her name? Or who she is, where she comes from?"   
  
Kagome received no answer from the austere youkai lord.   
  
"Kagome, what do you need me for?" Sango walked into the room Inu Yasha and Miroku hot on her heels.   
  
"I need some help undressing her first."   
  
"I can help with that, what you need are some strong male arms to support her." Miroku offered with a lascivious grin on his face.   
  
He started forward and ran into a brick wall otherwise known as Sesshoumaru. He grabbed Miroku by the neck and began squeezing slightly.   
  
Inu Yasha, who had been waiting for just this moment, drew his sword. "Put him down Sesshoumaru."   
  
Sesshoumaru ignored this and savored the feel of the monks neck underneath his hand. He resisted the urge to let his poison claws melt away the human's flesh, his intention wasn't to kill the human, this was just a warning. He began walking to the door, he felt Inu Yasha behind him and knew what he was thinking. Sesshoumaru opened the door and before Inu Yasha had made up his mind rather or not to attack he tossed the monk out of the room and into the hall. He turned to Inu Yasha, his icy gold eyes sending a message. "Walk out or be thrown out the choice is yours Inu Yasha."   
  
Inu Yasha just glared at his older brother, refusing to back down.   
  
Kagome decide to speak up. "This isn't a battle field Inu Yasha, I promise I'll call you if I need you."   
  
It took a while for Kagome to realize that Sesshoumaru wasn't going anywhere.   
  
"Sesshoumaru . . . uh . . . it would probably be best if you were to leave."  
  
"I stay here human." The statement was short and to the point his stance immovable.   
  
Kagome opened her mouth to argue some more but Sango caught her eye and shook her head. Something about the way Sango was looking alerted Kagome that something was seriously wrong. She rushed over to where the girl lay deathly still against the covers. She put her hand on her forehead and promptly jerked it back this was not good. Kagome pushed past Sango kneeling before her bag she pulled out her thermometer.  
  
Sesshoumaru came closer not understanding what had caused the miko to panic. He stared at the thing in her hand, it looked more like a weapon than a healing tool. The miko wouldn't be so dumb as to try and kill Rin in front of him would she?  
  
Kagome pried the girls mouth open and stuck the thermometer under the girls dry tongue, she could feel Sesshoumaru right behind her and prayed he wouldn't jump to conclusions or ask questions. If her hunch was right this girl didn't have the time it would take her to explain. Sesshoumaru must have sensed that because he just watched. The thermometer beeped startling both Sesshoumaru and Sango. Though Sesshoumaru hid it well.   
  
Kagome hurriedly pulled the medical instrument out of the girls mouth and checked it. She gasped it was 103.5 degrees Fahrenheit, she turned to Sango then changed her mind and turned to Sesshoumaru. They didn't have enough time for her and Sango to try and drag the girl to the nearest cool lake. It would have to be Sesshoumaru, and knowing his attitude toward humans she hoped he wouldn't object.   
  
"What is it miko." reading and smelling her anxiety with no trouble. It was making him feel an unusual and an uncomfortable amount of urgency.   
  
"Normal human body temperature is 98.6, regular fever is 100 to 102. She's 103.5 104 and there starts to be permanent problems 105 and you're dead. We have to get temperature down immediately or she won't live through the hour." Kagome was saying all this as she was pulling back the covers. "we have to get her to a cold pond somewhere, it has to be close by. Me and Sango may not be able to-" She didn't have to go on Sesshoumaru had Rin up in his arms and was nearly out the door.   
  
"There's a pond in the back garden." He was gone.   
  
There was no time to waste Kagome grabbed her bag and ran for the pond.   
  
When they arrived Sesshoumaru had already strip the young girl of all her clothes. He appeared to be hesitating and Kagome realized he was wondering if this really was a good idea. No time for hesitation.  
  
"You must put her in the water. Submerge her completely the first time, then we have to keep her head above the water while we bathe the heat from her body."  
  
Still Sesshoumaru hesitated, then suddenly he dropped the girl in the water.   
  
Pain.  
  
The water felt like a thousand little needles, all pricking her at once forming themselves into one great stab that seem to reach her very soul. Rin opened her eyes and then opened her mouth trying to gasp air and . . .   
  
"Aelan, sweety come away from the water." A'Marie hauled the basket of small rocks up onto her shoulder. Three years had passed since the capture and destruction of Atlantis. Despite all their threats the rebel soldiers had found and captured less than a third of the scattered Atlantians.   
  
A'Marie glanced at her daughter. Soon, too soon, things would change drastically for young Aelan. She became stronger everyday, she was now stronger than most Atlantian adults. She had also become the sweetheart among the Atlantians who were not rebels. They were as loyal and protective to her as they were to Alaric, A'Marie's beloved husband, whom the Atlantians still considered king. Even though, now he was as much a slave as the rest of them.   
  
Slaves, she never thought she would see the day that the proud Atlantians would be slaves to anyone let alone their own people. Oh she had seen, had the vision. But in this they had been vague, still maybe she could have . . .   
  
A'Marie shook her head, no, she knew with this gift came a certain loneliness. She couldn't tell anyone the future, it would be too disastrous.   
  
"Aelan?" A'Marie looked behind her. It wasn't like Aelan to ignore the first call of her mother, she was such a good child, A'Marie was very proud. Aelan hadn't moved from her spot where she knelt by the small lake, her tiny wings bent in concentration. A'Marie drop the heavy load from her back and walked over to her, Something was on her young daughter's mind something important. There was no way she could ignore it, especially since she had so little time . . .  
  
"Aelan?"  
  
Aelan looked over at her, her small dark eyes shinning with vulnerability and hard with determination.   
  
"What is it Aelan?" She asked gently, now concerned.   
  
Aelan climbed into her lap.  
  
"Mama?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"You and daddy . . ."  
  
"Go on."  
  
"You and daddy don't love each other?"   
  
"Why would you think that Aelan?"   
  
"You are never together anymore, daddy he isn't around."  
  
"Oh sweety, your father and I love each other more than life."  
  
"Then . . ." Aelan looked more confused than ever.   
  
A'Marie bit her lip, how could you explain slavery to a child? How could you explain that daddy wasn't with them because he had to work day and most of night and that when he wasn't working he was probably being tortured for information? You couldn't and even if you could there was no time.   
  
"Me and your father will love each other to the ends of this earth, whether we are together at all times or not. But hopefully one day, we will be together always."  
  
Aelan studied A'Marie's face intently. Then seemingly satisfied she smiled, she lifted her hand and presented a flower to her mother.   
  
"Will I love someone that much one day mama?"  
  
"I hope so sweety, now lets get back to work, we've been gone too long we don't want them to come looking for us do we?"  
  
Aelan shook her head her eyes wide and fearful.  
  
A'Marie grabbed the basket of rocks and Aelan grabbed her small bundle and then they began walking toward the slavery establishment. It was time for their afternoon meal. They deposited the rocks in the designated area and walked over to the long tables. They were intercepted a foot away from their seats.   
  
"The master demands to see your child. And you mistress have an appointment. With the clippers, it's been too long since your wings were last clipped."  
  
A'Marie paled, there was nothing worst than having her wings clipped. It was cruel for the rebels to do this to the Atlantians all of which had their wings clipped on a consistent basis.   
  
"Why does your master wish to see my child?" Her voice was strong and clear, she was a queen and this man was nothing but a filthy traitor she would show him no weakness.  
  
"He is your master as well, you would do well to remember that, along with learning respect that what he wishes will not be questioned."  
  
"He will never be my master. I do not follow blindly, certainly not to an idiot traitor who decided to name himself ruler." She shouldn't provoke the rebel but she was desperately trying to distract him from thoughts of taking her child. It was almost time and if they got their hands on her then it was over.   
  
"Enough woman, tell me the location of the child or I shall strike you down."   
  
"Then strike me down, why do you hesitate, anything is better than living under your masters rule."  
  
Aelan began to whimper.  
  
*Shh Aelan be silent. Don't speak. Whatever you do don't make a sound.* she sent the message straight to her daughters brain. They didn't know her daughter was behind her. Not yet.   
  
The rebel stepped closer and slapped her hard against the face. Normally this would have sent her to the ground. As it was only A'Marie's will power and perhaps the strength she had attained during her capture allowed her to keep her footing while still keeping Aelan behind her.   
  
The man slapped her again. There was a disturbance in the crowd and Alaric burst through. He looked terrible, the last three years had not been kind to him. He was thinner more haggard, his eyes were sunken with a permanent haunted look residing in their depths. These last few years he had been pushed to his limit and seeing A'Marie brutalized triggered something and Alaric lost what control he had, attacking the rebel soldier. Sending him to the ground he fell on top of him pounding the soldier uncontrollably.   
  
Aelan trembled and flinched, there was too much pain surrounding her at once. All of a sudden she could feel everyone's pain. The pain of clipped wings the pain of spirits too long in captivity. They were Atlantians they must be free. A'Marie looked at her daughter and saw what the others could not see yet.   
  
Aelan was glowing.  
  
*How long will this go on?*  
  
*I can't take this much longer.*  
  
*Please just let me die, let me die before he comes to me again tonight.*  
  
*I'm an old man, I shouldn't have to do this. My back aches, my feet ache, my fingers, my shoulders . . .*  
  
*I have to get my wings clipped again, my worse nightmare come true. I . . . I . . . I don't know if I can hold back the screams this time. But they said if I make any noise this time they'd take them off completely.*  
  
*My poor baby, my sweet baby, she's just a child why should she suffer this?*  
  
This last sounded like her mother. Aelan looked around, no one spoke, but it was unmistakably the voices of the Atlantians that she was hearing. Could she hear their thoughts?   
  
Aelan glanced at her mother helplessly. But her mother couldn't help her, as she stood there her mother and her father were being surrounded by the rebel soldiers. She watched as they pulled back her mother's clothing and leered. She watched as some of them pulled a knife and approached her father. She watched her mother stop struggling and look over to her father in horror heard in silence her mother's scream and saw in slow motion the knife descend toward her father's chest.   
  
Her small body jerked grabbing the soldiers' attention. She was glowing brightly from head to toe and her eyes were glazed over with an unnatural pink light. She rose into the air her legs extended to the breaking point and her arms flung behind her. She looked like she was being stretched on a rack bur her expression was peaceful. Light shot from every part of her miniature body and soon the entire courtyard was consumed by a magnificent light. Every rebel within a 3 mile radius died, all Atlantians were healed from of their physical ailments and gifted with a peace they couldn't begin to understand. But The master of the rebels also called Akuji, and a handful of his most trusted minions including Amos still lived. And the young girl Aelan had disappeared.  
  
************************  
  
"She's over the worst now." Kagome came out wiping her face with the towel. Sango walking slowly behind her.  
  
"Where's Sesshoumaru? He demanded that I tell him when she got over the fever."   
  
"I thought he was in the room with you." Inu Yasha was the one who spoke.  
  
"He was but then she started to get really bad . . ."  
  
"The screams were unbearable to hear, I have a feeling she hasn't used her voice much, the screams were too raw." Sango shook with the memory of the girls agony.   
  
"So Sesshoumaru couldn't stand the heat huh, he had to bail."  
  
"More like he didn't care enough." Miroku observed, but Inu Yasha didn't look convinced. Everything his brother had done in the last twenty-four hours had been unlike him.   
  
"You guys should go get some rest." Kagome sighed, she was so tired. Holding the girl down had been tiring.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
"I'll be there shortly, I just want to check on her one last time and tell a servant to give Sesshoumaru the news."   
  
The gang nodded and walked down the hall toward their sleeping area.   
  
"Miko, how is she?"  
  
Kagome jumped, how long had he been there?  
  
"She's stable, she got worse when you left, but she should be all right."  
  
There was a pause, Kagome couldn't see him that well.  
  
"I suppose you realize that she is no ordinary human?" Kagome asked not really expecting an answer.  
  
"She was the one who froze the youkai." It wasn't a question.  
  
"I don't think that is the extent of her powers. Did you feel the tremor that went throw the castle not too long ago?"   
  
Sesshoumaru had. And he shocked himself by not being surprised that it had come from Rin.   
  
"She should have someone sit with her, perhaps one of your servants and I'll be checking in on her periodically."  
  
Sesshoumaru just nodded and Kagome turned away feeling dismissed.   
  
"Her name is Rin." Kagome paused but didn't look back. She nodded her head in acknowledgment and then kept walking.   
  
Sesshoumaru stared after her and when she disappeared around the corner he turned to Rin's door. He opened it and disappeared inside. 


	7. chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
Rin walked along the gardens absently stroking a flower in her hand. It was a beautiful blossom like all the things in Sesshoumaru's possession. It saddened Rin that Sesshoumaru had everything that money could buy and maybe a few things that it couldn't and he cherished none of it. She had a feeling that he saw them as common place, so they brought him no real joy. She knew he was immersed in a never-ending search for something, something that would satisfy him. She knew what he needed, but she wasn't sure how to give it to him.  
  
These thoughts were the least of her problems. two months ago today, her friend Kagome had given her what she had called, "A clean bill of health." The next day Inu Yasha and his small group had left. She had been there to see them off, still very weak from her close brush with death. Sesshoumaru had been no where to be found. Rin had become very close to all of them and felt almost as if she was loosing another family. She had been tempted to take Kagome's offer and travel with them a while, but in the end she had decided to stay with Sesshoumaru for a while. It had been stupid of course, what had made her stay she would never know.   
  
But Sesshoumaru had made no comment on her still being there when he came back from his patrol so she had become a visitor by way of stubbornness. From then on they had sustained a peculiar relationship. At first he ignored her completely, so much so that she had started to think that she had died and she was really just a ghost who had chosen to haunt this particular castle. That theory was thankfully put to rest when the fourth day of the first week tons of the most beautiful kimonos imaginable had shown up in the big bureau that sat against the wall. Rin had been afraid to touch them much less wear them and then there was the dainty bejeweled kid and cloth slippers to match. Her breath had been taken away and she had refused to even think of wearing them, since they were obviously not for her.   
  
Then there was the maid that showed up the next day. The one that made her bed before Rin had a chance to. The one that insisted she wear at least one of the kimonos to "make the master happy." Rin had felt like the lady of the castle, and she became even more troubled. If she got used to this treatment, she would never be able to go back to the life she knew waited for her when Sesshoumaru finally got tired of her taking advantage of his hospitality. Which would be soon since she had made a royal pain of herself by bursting into his office and insisting without words but with great persistence that he teach her how to write. Rin giggled a little as she remember his expression the first time she had done so.   
  
She was able to read him half the time now. She knew she would never fully understand him. His mask was too well practiced and too firmly in place. But that day he looked at her as if she was one step away from needing placement in a mental ward. He had final understood in between her fast moving sign language and her shoving the book at him in between silent sentences. However, it had taken him almost a week to decide whether or not to teach her. He had been surprised at how much she had already known, she knew she could feel it. And under his tutelage she could almost write like a pro. He was the best teacher, he never spoke, he never needed to and to disappoint him became his student's worst nightmare. It motivated success.   
  
They had become somewhat close, Sesshoumaru still held so much of himself back, but sometimes he would accompany her on one of her walks within the castle walls. He had forbidden her to travel outside the castle gates, Rin who did not take kindly to orders given without adequate reasoning had disobeyed a couple of times, but only when she thought it was necessary. She was very proud of herself for accomplishing one great feat. She had gone to the village one day and had been informed by a friend she had made there that Sesshoumaru was highly appreciated by the villagers. He apparently didn't care one way or another that the villagers lived on this small portion of his land. And because all were aware that the western lands belonged to the taiyoukai no youkai ever bothered their humble village for fear of treading on Sesshoumaru's property.  
  
The villagers actually gave gifts for allowing them to reside on his land and for the small measure of safety that his name provided. Usually Sesshoumaru disregarded these tokens of thanks. Letting the food rot and such, when Rin had questioned this her friend had laughed and told her that there was a chance he didn't know about it, seeing that all the villagers were too afraid of him to tell him. With the help of her maid, who would later be promoted to her companion, she had arranged for that gifts to be delivered. She remembered what had happened when she had gotten back within the castle walls, presenting the guards with a flower as she always did, feeling as if she had finally given something back to Sesshoumaru.   
  
~Flashback~  
  
  
  
She was about to enter the castle and search for him for their nightly writing lessons (she was just a tad late.) when something whooshed past her with alarming speed nearly knocking her to the ground. She grabbed for something and came up with a snowy white sleeve blood red designs adorning the edge.  
  
Sesshoumaru turned in annoyance about to flick off the pestering body that had been fool enough to grab a hold of his sleeve when he'd been on a mission. When he saw her she glanced back at him inquiring. And Sesshoumaru glared back at her. Rin smiled and held up the flower she had reserved just for him.  
  
"Rin where have you been?"   
  
Rin suddenly discovered an undue interest in Sesshoumaru's armor.   
  
"Rin."  
  
Rin gave him a big smile, that usually worked.   
  
"The sun is nearly down, do not go outside the castle walls again."  
  
He turned and started back into the castle.  
  
He paused. "Without me or an escort of my choosing."   
  
'Hadn't he been going somewhere?'  
  
"Oh and Rin whose scent is it I smell on you?"   
  
Rin smiled, this is the opportunity she had been waiting for to explain about her earlier accomplishment.   
  
Rin signed some words.   
  
"A friend? He is male."   
  
Rin nodded and started to sign more, but Sesshoumaru had turned around again and this time he didn't pause.   
  
"You're not to see him again. Don't disobey me."   
  
Rin wondered if she could take those gifts back. He didn't deserve them.   
  
~End Flashback~  
  
The situation seemed funny to her now but at the time she had been furious.   
  
Rin tucked the flower in her hair. Her back was burning again. She knew why, while she was ridden with fever she had many memories come back to her. Ones she had remembered when she had regained consciousness. This past month she had been ignoring the facts that her memories had presented to her, not feeling that she was ready for them. Also she knew that this could mean the end of her time her with Sesshoumaru.   
  
That no longer concerned her. She already knew she had to get as far away from Sesshoumaru as possible. Rin smiled, She had been stupid. Not only had she gotten too used to her temporary luxuries, she had the done the ultimate in stupid things, she had fallen in love with her rescuer. Rin chuckled sadly it seemed so cliché, but he had rescued her in so many ways. Rin's eyes teared up and she threw the flower down, she turned her face to the wind hoping it would blow away the salty drops. He was killing her with his indifference.   
  
Rin glanced around to make sure Sesshoumaru or her companion wasn't around. She was on a mission. If she was going to do this, then she would go all the way, no holding back. She began a slow walk toward the castle gates.   
  
*******************************  
  
Sesshoumaru watched the girl name Rin as she stared at nothing. He was in a position he had never been in before. He didn't know what to do. He had always had a plan for everything, ten steps ahead of his friends and foes. This was completely foreign to him.   
  
His behavior over the past two months had shocked him. He . . . cared for this human/not so human girl. More than he ever should have cared for anyone. Where had his plan gone wrong. He had planned not to care for anyone after his mother's death and his father's betrayal.   
  
He had known for some time now that something was wrong. When he began thinking about the girl as a prisoner. She was unaware that she was a prisoner, and that was the way he wished to keep it. For awhile he had convinced himself that she still had not revealed her true self, thus his fascination with her. But fascination had slowly turned into a kind of need. He had agreed to teach her how to write, because he found that he need a daily dose of her spirit.  
  
Sesshoumaru growled.   
  
This was ludicrous.   
  
What was even worse is that he had been terrorizing his loyal staff, good youkai, for he couldn't surround himself with idiots, Jaken was bad enough. They were all, even at this moment wondering what they had done wrong, walking on egg shells around him and giving him wide berth. All because that idiotic female decided she didn't want to stay here anymore. What more did she wish for. He had given her more than she would see in a lifetime. He didn't understand what she wanted from him. He had seen her looks at the castle walls, he had watched the color leave her body and her appetite(usually so abundant, wane). She was just a shell of herself. He didn't think it was the same illness, this sickness seemed so much different, her body didn't smell of sickness, it retained it's normal hypnotic scent. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes briefly, his subconscious not needing much help conjuring the scent that followed him even in his sleep. Especially last night when she had crawled in his bed, assuming he was asleep. It had been early morning so he had known she was having trouble sleeping. When he had awaken from a sleep so deep he thought he was incapable of having such rest, she had been gone. He wondered if the friend she had talked about was the reason for her leaving.   
  
Sesshoumaru's crimson eyes snapped open. He'd find the filthy baka and . . . The window frame under his hand melted away. But Sesshoumaru was no longer interested in his train of thought. Rin had disappeared from his sight. He glanced toward the gates and saw them closing.   
  
Rin was moving fast. She didn't have long before, someone knew she was gone. And she needed to do this.  
  
She came to the spot she had chosen, the center of all her plans was right in front of her. She gazed at the cliff. She slowly walked up to it, she stood on the tip and looked down, and down and down. 'It's too far, I can't do it, please I must do it I have to.' Every muscle, every cell, every atom in her body screamed with a yearning for an absolute freedom that she had never known and could not begin to understand unless she experienced it. She flung out her arms and flung back her head. And stayed suspended . . .   
  
*Shh Aelan be silent. Don't speak. Whatever you do don't make a sound.*  
  
'Mama, I'm ready to talk now. I will have freedom from all my bonds.'  
  
Sesshoumaru cursed, he had almost taken the wrong route. Assuming Rin was trying to run away and coming to the conclusion that she would run to her 'friend' he had headed for the village. Now he tracked her scent in the other direction. He had finally come to an area where her scent was stronger which meant either she was extremely close by or that she had lingered here, not too long ago. Sesshoumaru looked and through a pair of bushes saw a flash of red cloth much like what Rin had been wearing . He pushed past the bushes and watched as Rin fell face forward into the canyon.  
  
Rin . . . NO! 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
So I like Van in both the movie and the show. But I think that the Van in the movie is a little tougher than the one in the show. So that's the one I'm writing about.   
  
He hadn't made it in time. And no matter how he looked at the circumstances, it was always his fault. He hadn't realized how much this human life had meant to him. He found himself angry at her for taking this way out of a bad situation. He had thought she was stronger than that. His anger was welcomed and he did everything to fuel it to fury. It covered for a deeper more harmful emotion. Sesshoumaru clenched his teeth, a muscle jumping unchecked in his jaw. It was the first expression to cross his countenance in many years. His anger was not working. Sesshoumaru's hand reached up and touched his chest, he rubbed it absently, trying to soothed the empty pain that had taken up residence in the vicinity of his heart. He never took his eyes from the view of the cliff where Rin had disappeared. The hand on his chest clenched.   
  
His sword had saved the girl once, right? It could damn well do it again, he would have it no other way. He remembered the first time he had saved the girl. He also remembered Tenseiga's hesitation. His fist clenched again his claws digging into his palm and drawing blood. Sesshoumaru looked down at his hands and started. His hands were shaking.   
  
He should have let her go.   
  
If he saved her would he let her go this time?  
  
'Yes I would let her go. I would let her leave me and I would promise myself not to follow her for a week and then I would search for her and bring her back.' He was completely honest with himself.   
  
He was wasting time, the longer she stayed dead, the harder it would be for Tenseiga to bring her back. If . . .   
  
He refused to think about what he would do if he couldn't bring her back to life. He could bring her back, failing was not an option.   
  
He prepared to make for the air when a scent teased his nose. It was Rin's smell, but it wasn't. It was sweeter, softer, and more serene. Was it his imagination? His golden eyes sharpened, his breathing returned to normal, and something very close to desperate hope choked his throat.   
  
His sensitive ears picked up a steady gush of wind. It kept an unusual rhythm and Sesshoumaru turned sharply, hurriedly searching the cliffs. Had he been so tied up in his grief that he hadn't sensed an enemy near?   
  
Grief . . . ? Had that been the emotion that had tightened his chest and made his eyes burn? Why hadn't he seen it before?   
  
Because it was all clear to him now.   
  
And when he saved her, she would have to leave and he would have to let her go.  
  
For good.  
  
He turned his attention to the fast approaching creature. It obviously was not a smart creature. First to come onto his land and then to not even try to mask it's presence. Sesshoumaru's smile was purely evil. He needed to spill blood on this day, he stood straight not needing to crouch into a fighting stance. He drew Toukijin as the creature glided through the huge rift in the earth and promptly froze.   
  
Rin couldn't believe the overwhelming happiness that coursed through her body, her very blood sung with it. When she had first jumped off the cliff she had immediately started to fall her wings had burst out on a reflex she hadn't known she had. It had been painful, very painful, in fact she believed that her blood had stained the red kimono she was wearing. But she knew that this was just a result of keeping them confined for so long. It wouldn't hurt like that again.   
  
She felt like she would burst at any moment, she wished only that she could have shared this with her dearest friend. Still, he probably wouldn't care much. Even this thought didn't darken her spirits. Oh, but she wished to show him that she wasn't just some weak human. But she was, a human, that was what Atlantians were after all, slightly advanced humans. But even if she had physically changed into something more like a youkai than a human, she would have remained the same. If he couldn't like Rin the meager human, then he was shallow and not the taiyoukai she had fallen in love with.   
  
She shook her head and turned around the bend, she was ready to scream with joy, and she could too. She was free from all of her bonds. She filled her lungs about to bellow the first thing that came to her mind when she saw Sesshoumaru facing her Toukijin pointed in her direction.   
  
"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!!"  
  
Sesshoumaru had never heard anything so ugly and yet so beautiful at the same time. It was plain to anyone that had two working ears the Rin hadn't used her voice in a very long time. Her pronunciation was off on several marks. But Sesshoumaru would never want it any other way. It was the greatest honor for the first thing to come out of this precious creature's mouth to be his name.   
  
But it was not her voice that held Sesshoumaru captive. He had never seen an angel, but what else could she be. The woman before him wasn't Rin. And she couldn't be anyone but Rin at the same time.   
  
"Who are you?" Sesshoumaru asked in a hushed voice as she landed only a few feet in front of him.   
  
Rin took her time, she wanted her words to come out right. She stretched her wings, unconsciously giving Sesshoumaru a glimpse of her massive wing span. Her wings were glorious, the soft pristine white feathers were layered until the longest feathers reached the backs of her ankles, when she folded them behind her back.  
  
Sesshoumaru took the time to study the rest of her, while she composed herself. He was afraid to move, lest this illusion disappear. She looked like Rin, with slight differences. Her hair instead of reaching to her waste, now reached to the backs of her knees. It was also fuller, so were her breast and other parts of her figure. She still kept the sliminess of her waste and other parts of her body, such as her legs, arms, etc. Her eyes though still dark as ebony, became even more mysterious and a pink glow could be seen in the middle of her pupils. Her aura was more prominent and her whole body glowed with a pink light.   
  
A Rin that wasn't Rin, she even smelled similar. Had he been given a second chance? Did this mean that Rin was truly gone? He, Sesshoumaru would have nothing to do with this impostor. Be she second chance or not. Sesshoumaru took no second best, Rin would always be an original, there was no replacing her. He glared at the woman, whoever she was, she was intruding, he needed to find Rin.   
  
"Sesshoumaru . . ." Rin smiled. "You don't recognize me." She spoke slowly her voices cracking on every word. Rin winced at how bad she sounded. But Sesshoumaru deserved an explanation.   
  
"My name is Aelan Aleshannee Aira, protector of the Atlantian people." She watched as he took a threatening step forward.   
  
"And my name is Rin, the flower-picking orphan. I cannot separate the two so I would hope that you would except them both." Her throat was raw, from these simple sentences, but she wasn't concerned, she was too busy holding her breath, waiting for Sesshoumaru's acceptance or rejection. She bent down self-consciously and retrieved a flower that was resting within her line of vision. She eyed Sesshoumaru's armor longingly, it was her favorite resting place for her flowers. However, deciding that this was not the appropriate time or place for such an action she tucked it into her side ponytail.   
  
Sesshoumaru had been studying her, trying to gauge the truth behind her statements. The Rin before him seemed to have mentally matured overnight. Even her picking the flower and placing it in her hair seemed more graceful than childish to him. In the end it was the flower that convinced him, the flower and the way she looked at his armor as if a flower wasn't a flower unless it rested in the cold steal on his chest.   
  
So Rin had not committed suicide, Rin was not dead. She was different but very much alive, with wings and a power so strong it radiated off her body. It took a moment for all this to sink in. When it did, Sesshoumaru experienced what it felt like to be overcome. For the first time in his life he didn't analyze his every move, he did something natural, he did something enjoyable. Sesshoumaru crossed the remaining distance between himself and Rin. He pulled the flower from her hair and tucked it into his chest armor with one hand, while the other hand circled her waste, pulling her close for a bruising kiss.   
  
Rin returned the kiss with passion. She didn't care anymore what he felt for her, and she couldn't leave him, no matter how much it hurt to stay.   
  
Sesshoumaru was no longer thinking thoughts about the danger Rin now presented to his hard-earned control. There was no more doubt about where and how she would live. She was right where she belonged and he would make sure she understood that. It wouldn't be hard, the way she was responding, all he had to do was kiss her every time she got the notion she should be somewhere else.  
  
Sesshoumaru broke the kiss off, and Rin grinned up at him. He wondered briefly if she had gotten taller. It used to be she couldn't quite reach his shoulder, now she did so with no problem. Sesshoumaru shook away silly thoughts. He still hadn't made clear exactly what he wanted. She might not agree, and he had no idea how to make her do so.   
  
"It's time to go home Rin."   
  
"Home . . ." There was a dreamy look in her eyes. She closed them briefly. "The garden." She breathed.   
  
That was it, the garden was Rin's favorite place to be.   
  
"You like the garden Rin?"   
  
"Very much." Surprised that he even needed to ask.   
  
"It's yours then. You can have the garden." He threw this information out nonchalantly, watching her out of the corner of his eye to determine what she thought of the gift.   
  
"Mine. You would give me your garden?" Her voice was a whisper and her eyes teared up.  
  
Sesshoumaru tried not to be alarmed as he told himself that hers were tears of joy. He knew how much she loved the garden.   
  
"It's yours but there's something you should know."   
  
He looked so grim that Rin became worried.   
  
"What is it?"   
  
"This present comes with a condition. If you take this present then you have to take me along with it." Sesshoumaru stood next to her stiffly. His entire body tied up in rigid knots.   
  
Rin glanced down at her hands. The old Rin would have jumped into his arms without a care in the world. She suddenly wished to be carefree again. So Sesshoumaru came with the garden. Rin mentally shook her head, her taiyoukai really was very silly. Didn't he know that he wasn't a part of a package deal. He was the whole damn package. Had he really no idea how wonderful he was, had he no clue how much she loved him? Well it was up to her to show him.   
  
Sesshoumaru watched her as she hesitated, He was angry, he was angry at himself, at her and at the entire situation. He wanted to tell her that she could have the garden with no conditions. If she took the garden she would want to be around it right? He shouldn't have included himself in the deal. What the hell was the matter with him? He was lord Sesshoumaru, leader of all the western lands . . .   
  
"I accept." It was quietly voiced, but it broke through his thoughts like the crashing waves of a monsoon.   
  
"As my mate Rin. It's permanent." He felt he should warn her, knowing her views on freedom.  
  
Rin looked at him. Did he mean it? Did that mean he cared for her more than she had originally thought, more than he let on? She wanted to ask him if he loved her, but thought better of it. Sesshoumaru would tell her how he felt when he was ready. She could wait, some things were worth waiting for. She considered her move, but when it all came down to it, the temptation was just too great.   
  
"You won't change your mind and hate me later?"   
  
"I wont change my mind." He turned away and Rin thought she heard him say: "And I could never hate you." under his breath. But it could have just been wishful thinking.   
  
They were mated less than a week later.   
  
In a land further away, a young warrior sat against a wall. His sword was cradled between his legs, the hilt resting on his shoulders. He gazed out the window in front of him, but wasn't marveling at the destruction or the hope that the image of reconstruction inspired. No he was deep in thought, something called to him. Something he hadn't felt in a long time. The need to spread his wings and fly. He wasn't the only one, numerous people from Atlantis were coming out of hiding. Flexing wings that had long since been confined within their backs. He was troubled by this change, so he had seeked out a woman his mother had mention years ago, A'Marie Aira. A vague, destructively beautiful woman with sadness in her eyes. He had found her in a village completely untouched by the destruction. A beautiful place where things grew strong and blossomed. There, in that place, he had also found an amazing amount of Atlantian people. Although he was only half Atlantian, they treated him as one of their own.  
  
A'Marie hadn't been able or willing to tell him much. She only told him the basics of what he needed to know. She had a daughter, said to be the protector of Atlantis. She had disappeared some years ago saving the few Atlantians taking into slavery. The needy feeling that the Atlantian people were now experiencing was the result of her daughter, Aelan, realizing exactly who she was. A'Marie had gone on to warn him that there was much danger ahead for the Atlantian people. The commander of the rebels was still alive. The only one who could defeat him was Aelan. Van had been told by the beautiful Atlantian that he would play a significant role in the salvation of the Atlantian people, that he would be the one to find Aelan. She referred to the fact that he had gathered most of the survivors of his people together and was even now establishing another kingdom. She had beseeched him not to forget his other people. And he found he could not ignore her pleas. He had asked where to begin looking and she had become vague again, telling him a mysterious light from the sky would transport him to Aelan.   
  
He knew of what light she spoke of. He and Hitomi had began to track the appearance of that light. They had found that there actually was a pattern to it's seeming randomness. They could now travel via light whenever it was necessary. Still it was very risky, just because you found the light and allowed it to take you, didn't mean that you would end up where you wanted to go. As he continued his thoughts he heard footsteps behind him. His hand briefly tightened on his sword, until he recognized the footsteps. An arm slid around his neck from behind and he lifted one of his own hands, placing it on smooth skin. Not to take it away but to keep it there.   
  
It was his life that was hugging him.   
  
"Van what troubles you?"   
  
"Hitomi . . . I have to go on a journey soon."   
  
"Would you like me to come with you?"   
  
"Yes."   
  
Hitomi slid around until she was kneeling in front of him, her hands never leaving his body. She smiled excitedly into his eyes.  
  
"Where are we going?"   
  
"I don't know."   
  
Hitomi laughed softly. "Van, those are the best kinds." She turned her back to him and scooted back between his legs. Resting the back of her head on his shoulder. Van abandoned his sword, placing it beside him, within his reach. He wrapped his arms around Hitomi and pulled her closer, letting his wings go, he slowly wrapped them around them both and leaned back against the wall. They both gazed out of the window, thoughts of preparation flowing through their minds. The next light was in four months.   
  
**********************************  
  
Kiyomi had almost reached the Western lands, she heard there was a strong youkai that ruled there, so she would have to be extra careful. She had a feeling Rin was somewhere nearby.  
  
**********************************  
  
Atsuko ran through the castle till she reached the Lord's quarters. She knocked on his son's room door. The door slid open and Basho stood in the doorway.   
  
Atsuko bowed. "There is a young lord who wants to speak to the lord's son."  
  
Basho looked back at the window where the lord's son sat staring at nothing, his back turned to the door.   
  
"Send him here." As Atsuko ran to do his biding, Basho stood outside the door to greet the lord.   
  
As he stood there a man dressed impeccably walked up to him. When he reached him, Basho felt such fear and such unrest that he immediately took his leave, saying nothing to the lord. The young lord smiled, slid open the door, and preceded inside. As he crossed the doorway, his clothes changed magically, into a costume. A baboon costume. He walked over to the lord's son and whispered into his ear.   
  
"I have heard that you are in need of a way to exact revenge. I myself have a score to settle, perhaps we can help each other . . ."  
  
Yes all hell is about to break lose. This should be interesting. 


	9. chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
WARNING: There is some lime present in this chapter. If that offends you or you're too young, you know what to do.  
  
Rin sat beside a sleeping Sesshoumaru on their large bed. Her hair was pulled up on the top of her head, falling to the middle of her back. She wore a navy blue and white silk robe, it felt good against her otherwise naked body. The sides of her robe were not closed they merely rested on her breast and gave a tantalizing view of the rest of her. Her hands rested on the bed beside Sesshoumaru's back, while her wings were busy with something altogether different.  
  
She ran one of the longer feathers down his spine. She did this absently today, but usually she used this method when she was in the mood for his love-making. Their mating ceremony had been little over a month ago, it had been both a beautiful and traditional affair. Rin shook her head she couldn't believe it, but it was true and Rin had never been more happy.  
  
Over the last month or so, she and Sessho, as she affectionately called him, had been inseparable. Rin had found out that Sesshoumaru had boundless energy, wanting to walk and run and play for hours on end. Whenever she tired he would carry her, but she always accompanied him. Their romps in the forest were her favorite, Her youkai loved to chase, and the chase excited her as well. Rin had learned how to use her power to become nearly invisible, and when that didn't work, she often took to the sky. She was faster than Sesshoumaru in the sky, though he always came up with new and exciting ways to get her back down to the ground.  
  
No, the chase for his prize was never easy for her youkai, she made sure of it. And the reward . . . well the reward was, simply put, excellent. Rin smiled the secret smile of a woman well satisfied. When they had first made love, Sesshoumaru had been all that was sweet and gentle. But he had warned her then, that would be the last time. He was right, he had held back her first time for her sake, and she thanked him for that. But his lovemaking afterward had been rough and passionate. There were times when she came away with some bruises, but she often left her mark on him as well and she could honestly say that she had never been hurt by him. His lovemaking was so uncharted, so uncontrolled. She loved him for showing her that side of himself.  
  
Rin glanced out the bedroom window, it had gotten so cold, it felt like it was about to snow soon. The flowers were all dead or dying. She remembered when Sesshoumaru had gone away for two days. When he came back she had been in the garden staring at the pathetic looking flowers that were left. The next day some of Sesshoumaru's servants had been working on a glass house in the garden.  
  
She hadn't been able to find Sesshoumaru for explanations on the new addition to the garden so she had asked Jaken, who had been treating her with a new kind of respect because of her new appearance and her mating with Sesshoumaru. Jaken had informed her that Sesshoumaru was trying out an experimental method, trying to preserve the vegetation in the garden.  
  
Rin didn't need to be told why Sesshoumaru decided to do this. It wasn't simple thoughtfulness that inspired this experiment. When she confronted Sesshoumaru she found out for sure. Sesshoumaru had some silly notion that with the garden gone she would soon be gone too. That was part of the reason for what she was about to do.  
  
She wanted to show him that he meant a lot to her and that she wouldn't be leaving him. Neither of them had voiced their feelings, that would change today, some time today she would tell him that she loved him. She had everything to lose and everything to gain.  
  
Rin's feather hit a rather sensitive spot and Sesshoumaru stirred a little. She watched him for a second and when his eyes began to flutter she leapt off the bed and ran to the other side of the room, where she had left a tray of his favorite dishes. When she turned back around Sesshoumaru was staring intently at her. Rin resisted the urge to drop the tray and check her hair. It always unnerved and thrilled her when he looked at her that way.  
  
She approached him slowly and laid the tray beside him. He didn't even glance at the food and Rin was reminded of when they first met. She giggled remembering that time and Sesshoumaru looked at her mouth. Rin ignored the flutter that started in her stomach and climbed on the bed. She crawled over to him, much like when she first met him, except this time she could get as close as she wanted. Rin slung one of her legs over his and sat down on his lap straddling him, their chests almost touching.  
  
Her butt cheeks rested on his upper thighs and she bent her knees behind his back literally cradling his body. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed and his body stiffened, with good reason, this was her favorite position. Rin reached to her side and brought a morsel to his lips for him to eat. When he didn't immediately take the bite of food, Rin looked at him, a question in her eyes. Which she quickly voice, at first nearly dropping the food because her initial reaction was to sign the question.  
  
She caught herself. "Aren't you hungry?"  
  
Sesshoumaru nodded slowly, never taking his eyes away from hers. "For something other than food."  
  
"Hmm . . . let's take care of your stomach first. You have to keep up your energy."  
  
He raised one brow. "You find I'm lacking in energy?" He bent his knees and lifted his hips slightly when he asked the question.  
  
Rin flushed and sucked in her breath. "Well, you never know what could happen later on in the day." She brought the food back up to his lips, and when he opened his mouth to reply she stuck the food inside. She took a bite while he chewed and when he was finished with that bite she had another one waiting. It went that way for a time, every once in a while Sesshoumaru would nip playfully at her fingertips.  
  
Finally -Rin thought it would never happen- Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat, indicating that he had, had enough and it was time for her to take care of his other need. Rin smiled and put the dish she held carefully on the tray. Sesshoumaru watched in annoyance as she took her time straightening the tray, then with an impatient sigh, he swept the tray off the bed, at the same time that he flipped them both over. Rin laughed out loud. Yes, her youkai definitely loved his bed-sport.  
  
Rin felt a sharp slap on her ample bottom and groaned. The wretched dog, she wasn't going to get up. She turned over presenting her back to him, her eyes never opening. It was his fault. She had, had this whole day planned out, but how could he expect her to do anything but sleep after that delightfully strenuous, wonderfully intense, extremely pleasurable . . . Rin smiled dozing off again, Sesshoumaru had surpassed his own love-making that time. Rin hadn't even known that was possible, for a second she had thought she would die from it. Oh . . . but what a way to go. She giggled drowsily, bringing Sesshoumaru's attention back to her.  
  
He walked over to her, bent over and the next thing Rin knew she was being slung over his shoulder. Her eyes remained closed, she was actually quite used to being carted around.  
  
"I hope you realize that this does not mean that I am awake. And it's your fault that I'm this tired. I'll have you know that I had this whole day planned out . . ." She rambled playfully.  
  
Her defiant attitude earned her another good-humored slap on her conveniently positioned tush and Rin vowed to get him back when they were in the forest. It wasn't until they were bathing in their own private bathing room that she was able to reconfigure her previous plan. As if reading her mind Sesshoumaru broke his silence.  
  
"What were these plans you mentioned." He whispered his question in her ear, his arms holding her close. Her back cradled against his chest, skin to skin since she had pulled her wings back into her body after she had washed them. They both had finished washing some time ago and were now simply lounging in the warm waters.  
  
"I was thinking about going to the village today and-"  
  
Sesshoumaru's arms contracted around her painfully. "It has already been decided that you will accompany me while I protect our lands."  
  
It was the first time he had included her in the ownership of the western lands. It made her so happy that she ignored his arrogant assumption and the fact that she was quite aware that he was deliberately trying to keep her away from the village.  
  
It didn't matter, all that mattered was that he was all right . . . no . . . happy to share his life with her. She was still unsure of his feelings, however. He treated her with respect and a certain amount of tenderness. But she couldn't imagine her proud youkai treating his mate any other way. He was still cold and somewhat distant. His cold and distant moments usually occurred when she felt she was getting close to him. Like after their lovemaking when she would stroke his tail. Or before they went to bed and she would comb, braid, or play with his hair. Or more importantly when she held and cradled him.  
  
At first he hadn't allowed it. But as subtly as she could she eased him into accepting her embrace. It was in those moments when they were both spent and she held him to her breast and lightly stroked her fingers through his hair and down his back and chest, that she could feel him mentally and emotionally dragging himself away from her. She hoped that it was because he was afraid of the intimacy, because at least it meant that there was hope that one day he could return her feelings. If he simply did not like the closeness and simply tolerated her embrace then there wasn't much hope that he could return her love. Rin was no longer satisfied with a marriage based on unrequited love.  
  
She shook herself out of her heavy thinking and finished what she had been saying before he had interrupted.  
  
"I need to go to the village to get some of the things I need for our day out. I have something special planned. Will you come with me. Then we can go scouting our land." She turned her head when she spoke.  
  
Sesshoumaru stared at her, this girl Rin, this woman Aelan. She had a power over him in which he could never allow her to see. He thought about forbidding her to go to the village, even for the items she wanted for this special outing she had planned. The village was dangerous, something there could remind her of her past.  
  
His decision was made. "You will go to the village and I will attend you."  
  
Rin resisted the urge to grin. He spoke as if it had been his idea. She stood up and before he could say anything ran from the room naked.  
  
Sesshoumaru was pleased with this behavior. He knew Rin would never deliberately display herself to his male servants. He understood that she knew he always vacated this wing of his castle whenever they bathed. He was satisfied with her trust. He rose quickly from the hot springs. It wouldn't take long for her to get dressed. If she was going to the village she wouldn't expose her wings. Maneuvering her wings into the slits in her specially designed kimonos took up most of her dressing time.  
  
"Inu Yasha! Sit! Sheesh I thought we were over this by now. I am going home! I need to go home, I've been gone too long. I promise I will be back in two days. Two days, come on that is a bargain. I really need to stay for at least a week." Kagome rode her bicycle as hard as her skinny legs would peddle. Inu Yasha was hot on her heels.  
  
His hair stood on edge as his brain tried to process what she said.  
  
"A week!" he bellowed.  
  
"There ain't no way-"  
  
"Baka! I said two days. Two days!" Kagome reached the well, leaping off the bike before it had even stopped and darting toward the bone eater's well. Inu Yasha reached out a clawed hand and . . .  
  
"SIT!" He fell to the ground and Kagome jumped down the well.  
  
Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kirara all watched as Inu Yasha Stomped around shouting obscenities at Kagome's so called betrayal. He did it every time she left, his friends humored him. Knowing that covered by all that anger was fear. Fear that one day Kagome wouldn't come back. They began heading for the village, letting Inu Yasha rant and rave in peace.  
  
Sesshoumaru was not happy. Rin was, however, so he suffered. Man did he suffer. Sesshoumaru ignored the stares of the humans, keeping his eye on the only human that mattered as she painstakingly chose the items that she needed for their outing. Meats, a few vegetables, herbs and spices. All of which they didn't have at the castle. She also chose a hand woven blanket, and a few practical items, like an incense that was used to keep insects away. Although Sesshoumaru was tired of the noise and the smell and just being in the overall presence of so many humans. He was satisfied with the treatment of himself and more importantly the treatment of his mate.  
  
His sensitive ears could pick up all of the whispers being exchanged by the villagers, but not one derogatory statement had been made about Rin or her choice of company. He was also satisfied with their fear of him. It made their scent bearable, seeing as they stood as far away from him as possible, ready to bolt if he made any sudden move. Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to tease them.  
  
He glanced over impatiently to where Rin was trying desperately to pay for the last item that she needed. She did this at every booth in the market place. Everyone refused to charge Sesshoumaru the Lord of the western lands and his mate. But Rin insisted anyway, which was really what took up most of the day. This peddler was being more insistent than the rest and Sesshoumaru had become agitated, for he felt as if something very bad were about to happen. Sesshoumaru growled at the peddler, who at once reached for the money his eyes darting to Sesshoumaru for approval. He received none, Sesshoumaru was scanning the crowd for any possible danger. He saw none and relaxed a little.  
  
"There she is. That's the one I said fit your description, right down to the flower picking obsession."  
  
Sesshoumaru turned sharply to see a strapping young man with a laughing face walk toward Rin. A young woman dressed in the garb of a Miko trailed behind him. Sesshoumaru wasted no time intercepting the two, before they got too close to Rin for his comfort.  
  
The man stopped short, he was still grinning when he looked up into the face of the taiyoukai. The man was the tallest human Sesshoumaru had ever encountered nearly his own height. Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed into slits as he caught a whiff of the humans odor. The same smell that had covered Rin that time long ago when she had returned from the village. This was her male 'friend.' Sesshoumaru allowed poison to seep into his claws, his narrowed eyes flooded with blood and the happy human had the good grace to back, away from him.  
  
Rin peeked from behind her mates back, wondering what had made him so angry. Her face lit with a smile when she saw the young man who had befriended her earlier. But her smile faded as she saw the woman standing behind her, preparing herself for battle. It couldn't be . . . it just couldn't. Still . . . Rin took a step from behind Sesshoumaru.  
  
"Kiyomi?"  
  
"This is a strange place . . . I have been to your mystic moon before, but never anywhere other than your school. It is rather busy isn't it?" Hitomi smiled tenderly at Van, who was staring in awe at all the tall buildings.  
  
"Yes, though I grew up here, I must admit that even I am feeling a little overwhelmed."  
  
They walked in companionable silence. Every once in a while Van would pull her close to prevent anyone from running into her. Hitomi who had grew up near busy streets and knew how to walk among so many people, didn't really need the added protection, but she accepted it, knowing it made Van feel more in control in an otherwise uncontrollable situation.  
  
"Van do you think I will have time to check on my family? I believe this is the same time period that I came from."  
  
Van dodge a slew of people pulling Hitomi with him.  
  
"You can visit with your family, while I look for the girl. It will probably take a while. There are a lot of people here."  
  
Hitomi resisted the urge to tell him that she could be anywhere on this vast world. There was no guarantee that she was in Japan.  
  
"How will we find her?" She asked.  
  
"All we can do is look, and ask questions. I will know her when we get near her." "How?"  
  
"I will no longer be able to contain the Draconian in me." He spoke softly, and Hitomi digested his words, hoping that they wouldn't be near a large group of people when Van met the girl.  
  
"Well first we need to assess all the information we have on her. What is her name?"  
  
"Aelan Aleshanee Aira." His answer was short.  
  
"What does she look like?"  
  
"I am not certain, she has black hair and dark eyes. 'Her eyes shall be like no other' That is what her mother said. But I do not understand her meaning."  
  
"Well . . .is she your age?"  
  
"I am older. And yet I was born after her. About two or so years. Time moves differently on the mystic moon. The best tool we have in finding her is me. We do not have enough information."  
  
Hitomi glanced at the street sign. "This is where we separate. Shall I meet you back here in three or four hours?"  
  
Van tipped his head back and studied the sky. It would be dark soon. "Tomorrow, I doubt I will find her today. Meet me here when the sun rises." He called over his shoulder. His eyes scanning the crowd, he walked determinedly into the thick of the busy city. Ignoring the stares aimed his weird costume and un-groomed look, he willed his spirit to feel something, anything. The sooner he found her the better. 


End file.
